Laura opened her eyes slowly.
Her vision was blurry at first, before the soft light from outside filtered through the glass walls of the candle house. The night was still. A cool breeze drifted through the half-open window, brushing gently against her skin.
She lay there in silence, staring at the ceiling where faint shadows danced from the garden lights outside. To her left, Sandra was still fast asleep — her face calm, breathing slow and steady. On the right, Cassidy was sprawled halfway across Rachel, her arm draped loosely over Rachel's chest.
Laura took a deep breath. Her mind drifted back to the hours before they fell asleep — the crying, the hugs, and the silence that finally closed the night. After they managed to calm her down, their conversation stretched into something deeper… rawer.
They told her everything.
About the night of the fire.
About how the flames began crawling across the floor of the hall, and how panic swallowed everyone whole.
Rachel had said she only saw Laura throw something — not necessarily the lighter — but Laura didn't try to deny it. Even if she hadn't started the fire herself, she knew deep down… she was the reason that hall burned.
She just listened, quietly. Every word felt like a blade, cutting deeper with each breath.
She never knew that the boy she liked — the one she thought would stay — was the first to run away that night.
He didn't look back.
He didn't try to save anyone.
All that was left were screams, flames, and chaos.
And the ones who actually saved people that night… were her brother and Justin.
But what could she do now? That was the path she chose — the one that made her hurt Halen, break the hearts of the friends she once loved, and trap herself in guilt that never stopped burning.
All of it… because of one boy.
Because of jealousy that blinded her completely.
------
They'd talked for hours — long enough that their voices had started to fade, and the exhaustion finally caught up with them. Add to that the heavy, delicious dinner Cassidy's mom had made, and it was Laura who eventually suggested they stay the night.
Of course, Rachel and Sandra agreed right away, and Cassidy looked the happiest of them all.
Before that, Laura had called her mom to ask for permission — and to her surprise, her mom said yes almost instantly. She even told Laura to have fun and enjoy the time with her friends.
It all felt… different.
Ever since her memories returned, the world seemed to shift. Half of her felt calm, like she was finally standing on solid ground again — but the other half still carried the weight of something she couldn't shake off.
Guilt that refused to fade.
Laura took a long breath. Carefully, she lifted Sandra's arm from around her waist, making sure not to wake anyone.
She glanced at the watch on her wrist — almost 1 a.m. The night air was cold, sharp, but peaceful.
Before getting up, she pulled the blanket over the others — over Cassidy first, then Sandra, then Rachel — tucking each of them in gently, one by one.
The door creaked open softly — just enough for Laura to slip out.
The cold hit her immediately, her breath forming tiny clouds in the night air. The small light on the back wall of Cassidy's house cast a warm, pale glow over the yard, just enough for her to see the wooden chair under the open sky.
She sat down.
Her gaze drifted upward — the stars shimmered like scattered glass across the darkness. For a moment, everything felt still. Her thoughts quieted. Even the cold didn't seem to matter.
Then she flinched slightly as something warm brushed over her shoulders.
Laura turned — Justin stood behind her, his heavy jacket now draped around her. The steam of his breath mixed with the chill between them.
"Justin?" her voice came out soft, almost trembling.
He gave a small smile, his tone calm and teasing.
"You've got some nerve sitting out here in this kind of cold."
Laura tugged at the edge of the jacket and lowered her head slightly.
"It helps me feel calm," she murmured.
Justin chuckled softly — not mocking, just gentle.
"Calm is good," he said, "but don't freeze to death doing it."
A few seconds passed. Neither of them spoke — only the faint rustle of wind and the quiet sway of the porch light filled the silence.
Justin glanced at the empty chair beside her, then looked at Laura, wordlessly asking for permission.
Laura gave a faint smile and shifted a little to the side, enough to make room.
He sat down carefully, leaving a respectful distance between them.
Now, they just sat there — quiet.
Above them, the sky glittered with a thousand stars. And beneath it, two people sat side by side, both searching for words they weren't quite ready to say.
Justin finally broke the silence, his eyes still fixed on the sky.
"I'm glad you made peace with them," he said softly.
Laura turned toward him. "I didn't ask for any of this to happen," she said quietly. "If I'd remembered sooner… I wouldn't have lost them like that."
"I know," Justin replied, his tone calm, steady. "They just wanted the old you back."
Laura took a deep breath. "And you?" she asked. "Do you think I'm a bad person?"
Justin turned to her. Their eyes met — holding, silent, like time itself had stopped.
"I know you really liked Steve," he said at last, his voice low but clear. "He was your brother's best friend… and you've known him forever."
Laura looked down, her fingers tightening around the edges of the jacket that wrapped her.
"You know what I did, don't you?"
Justin gave a small nod. "Yeah. I know. But Cass didn't tell me — I overheard her talking with Rachel in their room."
Laura swallowed hard. "And what did you think?"
Justin lowered his gaze, his tone soft but sure.
"Laura, everyone messes up. Some mistakes are small, some are huge — but wrong is still wrong. The difference is… good people own up to it. The rest just keep pretending they didn't do anything. But you—"
He stopped there. Not because he ran out of words, but because she already understood what he meant.
Laura breathed deeply, her eyes drifting back up to the sky — empty, quiet, but heavy with unspoken weight.
"Thank you, Justin," she said softly. "For saving me that night."
Justin smiled faintly. "You should thank Sandra instead. She was the one who ran for help like a maniac. I just found her outside by chance. If she'd found your brother first… he probably would've gone in before I did."
Laura studied him for a moment. "But it was you who went in," she said quietly.
Justin exhaled slowly, his gaze lowering to the dew-covered grass.
"Of course I went in, Laura. But…"
Laura turned toward him. "But what?"
He hesitated, then spoke gently.
"Do you know why Sandra got hurt worse than Cass or Rachel?"
Laura shook her head. "They never told me."
Justin stayed silent for a moment before continuing in a low voice.
"When I got inside the hall, I found you in the storage room — unconscious. I couldn't figure out why you were there. Cass told me later… Sandra dragged you into that room when her own clothes were already on fire. Then she ran out to get help."
Laura pressed her hands over her ears, her voice breaking. "Stop, Justin… please, I don't want to hear it."
Justin nodded slowly. "I know. Sandra told me not to tell you. She didn't want you to feel guilty."
Laura sat there in silence for a long time. Then the tears began to fall, slow and quiet.
"No wonder I didn't have a single burn that night…"
"She loves you, Laura," Justin said softly.
Laura stood up, wiping her tears quickly. She looked at him, a faint, weary smile on her lips.
"Cassidy and Rachel probably won't be coming to your semi-final game," she said.
Justin frowned slightly. "Why not?"
"I'm taking them to Paris," Laura replied, her voice calm but certain. She looked at him one last time.
"Thanks… for the jacket. Goodnight, Justin."
Justin just nodded, his voice almost lost to the wind.
"Yeah. Goodnight, Laura."
Before closing the door, Laura turned back — their eyes met for a brief moment.
Justin was still there, sitting under the porch light, looking at her with quiet steadiness.
Laura gave a small smile — soft, almost invisible — before pulling the door closed.
Justin stayed seated, eyes fixed on the door long after it shut.
Even though her shadow was gone, a faint smile lingered on his face — warm, genuine, and, for reasons he couldn't explain, strangely at peace.
The cold morning air felt a little warmer now, as if some long-hidden weight had finally begun to lift from his chest.
-----
"Where did you go, Laura?" Sandra murmured, her voice still heavy with sleep.
Laura stepped quietly back to her spot. "Just went out for a bit," she replied softly.
"Weren't you cold?"
Laura smiled faintly, slipping herself back between Sandra and Cassidy. "I had a blanket," she said calmly.
"Sorry for waking you."
"It's okay… I thought you went home."
Laura smiled again, brushing Sandra's shoulder gently.
"I'd never leave you three."
Silence fell for a while.
"Sandra?"
"Mm?"
"Why do you love me?"
Sandra didn't answer right away. Her eyes lingered on Laura's face, her expression unreadable.
"Because you were the first person who ever made me feel like I existed, Laura."
Laura frowned a little. "What do you mean?"
Sandra took a slow breath and turned to lie on her back, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Her voice was quiet, but honest.
"I still remember my first day of kindergarten. Nobody wanted to talk to me. Every recess, I'd just sit there and watch you, Cass, and Rachel play together. It went on for months. I almost gave up going to school."
She let out a soft laugh — the kind that carried more sadness than humor.
"I mean, I had no mom, no dad… who would want to be friends with me, right? I remember crying that night, telling my aunt I didn't want to go back anymore. But she made me go anyway."
Sandra paused, then continued, her tone gentler now.
"And the next day, when I was sitting alone in class, crying again, you came to me. You didn't say much — you just wiped my tears, took my hand, and pulled me outside to meet Cass and Rachel."
Laura turned to her, a small smile forming on her lips.
"From now on, Sandra is our friend," she whispered, repeating the words she once said long ago.
Sandra looked back at her, eyes glistening, and gave a slow nod.
"Because of you… my life changed," she said softly, her voice almost breaking. "It's like my dull, gray world suddenly turned colorful again."
She took a quiet breath, then added,
"I'm really happy to have you, Cass, and Rachel. Since that day… I've treated the three of you like my whole life."
Lying there, Laura wrapped her arms around Sandra tightly. Her voice came out in a whisper, warm and sincere.
"I love you, Sandra."
------
That Morning at the Candle House
The house was already buzzing with chaos — laughter, small screams, and the sound of footsteps running up and down the hall.
Laura, just waking up, couldn't help but laugh when she saw Rachel and Cassidy's faces — both of them messy, makeup smudged, with faint bruises still visible.
"You know you actually hurt me, right? You slapped me," Rachel complained, rubbing her cheek dramatically.
Cassidy chimed in with a playful whine. "And I still can't breathe properly… all because of you, Laura!"
Laura burst out laughing. "Oh, come on. I didn't even know what I was doing. I was totally freaking out last night."
"You mean, freaking out because we were teasing Sandra?" Rachel teased, giving her a sly look.
"She had a nightmare," Sandra said calmly.
Rachel turned to Laura. "What kind of nightmare?"
Laura took a slow breath. "A beautiful woman."
Rachel blinked. Cassidy cracked up instantly. "That's not a nightmare, that's a fantasy!"
Laura laughed too. "Okay, okay — who's showering first? We're all gonna be late if you don't move."
"I'm using my own bathroom," Cassidy said, stretching lazily.
"I'm going with Cass," Rachel added. "No way we're fighting for the mirror here."
"Fine, fine—" Laura clapped her hands together. "Anyone need to borrow my clothes?"
Laura shot her a look. "Please. I'm not wearing anything from your closet, Cass."
"You're so mean!" Cassidy pouted, pretending to be offended.
And just like that, the Candle House came alive again — the morning bursting with laughter, teasing, and the kind of warmth that only true friends could create.
------
That Morning at the Gray's House
By the time the four girls finished showering and getting dressed, the kitchen was alive again — full of laughter, clinking dishes, and the smell of coffee and toasted bread.
Cassidy's parents were used to the chaos. They just smiled at the sound of giggles and playful arguments echoing through the cozy room.
But the noise hit a new peak when Justin came down the stairs — hair still damp, football jacket over a crisp blue shirt.
Cassidy let out a dramatic gasp.
"Wow! My brother actually looks handsome today. What's the occasion?"
Justin just smiled, trying to act cool, though his face was already turning red.
Rachel grinned. "Seriously, Justin. You're definitely dressing up for someone."
Laura raised an eyebrow, sipping her orange juice.
"Looking that good this early? Don't tell me you're picking someone special up?"
"What—no! Of course not!" Justin blurted, way too fast. Everyone at the table froze for a beat.
Laura leaned back in her chair, a mischievous smile curling on her lips.
"Aww, look at him blush. Come on, Justin, don't lie this early in the morning."
"I swear, I'm just catching a ride with Omar," he said quickly, tripping over his words.
Cassidy burst out laughing, nearly choking on her toast.
"Laura, stop! He's gonna pass out from embarrassment!"
Justin sighed and stared down at his cereal, pretending to be unbothered — though his cheeks were burning bright red.
Across the table, Mr. and Mrs. Gray exchanged amused glances.
"Hmmm," Mr. Gray said teasingly, though his eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Justin… do you like Laura?"
The room went dead silent.
Rachel covered her mouth to hold back a laugh. Sandra's eyes went wide.
And Laura — she almost choked on her drink.
"W–what did you just say?"
Justin shot up straight, his face a full shade of crimson.
"Dad! No! I mean— we're just friends!"
Cassidy slapped the table, laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.
"Oh my god, Justin! You sound so guilty right now!"
"Cass, shut up!" he snapped, voice cracking slightly — more embarrassed than angry.
Mr. Gray took a slow sip of his coffee, smiling smugly.
"Relax, son. It was just a question. But judging by your reaction…"
He left the rest hanging in the air, grinning.
Mrs. Gray gave Laura a kind, knowing smile.
"If he did like you, dear, who could blame him? You're a lovely girl."
"Mom, please!" Justin groaned, covering his face.
Laura could only give a small, awkward smile, trying to hide how warm her cheeks had gotten.
Cassidy leaned close and whispered, "Congratulations, Laura. You just made my brother lose his mind."
And just like that, the kitchen erupted again with laughter.
-----
Later That Morning
"See you at school!"
"Got it!" Laura called back from her scooter, Sandra riding pillion behind her. They waved toward Cassidy and Rachel.
"Drive safe, girls!" Mrs. Gray called out from the porch.
Justin stood by the driveway, hands in his jacket pockets.
"You sure you're okay riding that thing?" he asked, voice calm but eyes still following Laura.
"I'll be fine," Laura said with a grin. "You waiting for Omar?"
"Yeah."
"Then we'll get going. Bye, Justin."
"Bye, Laura. Bye, Sandra."
Laura revved the throttle, the scooter engine humming as they sped down the quiet suburban street, the morning breeze chasing behind them.
Justin stayed there for a moment, watching until they disappeared around the corner.
From the open car window, Cassidy called out,
"Need a ride, big brother? You'll get to school and see Laura faster!"
Justin groaned. "Cass, just… drive."
Cassidy and Rachel burst into laughter as the convertible pulled away, leaving Justin behind — red-faced, smiling despite himself.
------
Laura's red scooter rolled slowly into the school parking lot. The morning air was still chilly, carrying the sound of birds mixed with the chatter of students just arriving.
Sandra, sitting behind her, patted her shoulder lightly.
"Wow, we're early today," she said as she hopped off.
Laura pulled off her helmet, her hair slightly tousled, and smiled.
A few moments later, Cassidy and Rachel pulled up in Cassidy's convertible, the radio blasting some upbeat pop song. Cassidy waved wildly from the driver's seat.
"Laura! Sandra! Wait up!"
Laura turned around with a grin. "Let me guess—you stopped for breakfast again?"
Rachel laughed, lifting a paper bag. "You know me too well. Donuts and coffee—breakfast of champions."
Sandra's eyes lit up. "Can I have one?"
Cassidy held the bag protectively. "Only if you promise not to touch the chocolate-glazed."
The four of them walked side by side toward the main building. The campus buzzed with life—some students were cramming on benches, others shouting greetings across the courtyard, while a few lined up at the vending machine for snacks.
"This week's flying by," Rachel said, adjusting the strap of her bag.
"That's because exams start next week," Laura replied calmly, glancing toward the main building.
Cassidy groaned. "Ugh, can we not talk about exams first thing in the morning? Total mood killer."
They had just reached the second floor when someone shouted from behind,
"Move! Move! Coming through!"
Cassidy and Rachel barely avoided crashing into the wall as Omar Felix came sprinting past like he was being chased.
"Hey, Omar!" Cassidy shouted, hands on her hips. "You just shoved me and didn't even say sorry?"
Rachel scowled. "Seriously? It's too early for your chaos!"
Omar turned around, ignoring them completely. His eyes locked on Laura.
"Laura, is it true you're going to Paris after exams?"
Laura frowned slightly but smiled. "Yeah. Why?"
Omar planted his hands on his hips like he was interrogating her.
"Why after exams? You know that's when my semifinal game is."
Laura chuckled softly. "I already told you, I never promised I'd come watch your game."
He stared at her, half teasing, half disappointed. "But we'll be done with school by then. Come on."
Cassidy leaned in with a mischievous grin. "Wait, are you saying you wanna go to Paris with her, Omar?"
Without hesitation, Omar said, "Yeah. Why not?"
He looked back at Laura, smirking. "You're taking all three of them, and leaving me behind? Did you forget I'm your cousin?"
Cassidy, Rachel, and Sandra froze—eyes wide.
Rachel blinked. "Hold up—you invited us to Paris?"
Laura nodded. "That was the plan."
Sandra's voice softened. "But Laura… plane tickets to Paris aren't exactly cheap."
Laura waved a hand casually. "Relax. We'll talk about it later."
Then she stepped closer to Omar, meeting his gaze. "I'm going because my grandma wants to see me. We'll be staying with her. You still in?"
Omar hesitated. "Staying… with your grandma?"
Laura nodded calmly. "Yeah."
He swallowed hard, remembering the cold-eyed woman he'd met when he was twelve—Laura's grandmother, known for her piercing stare and stone-like face.
"Right… maybe I'll pass this time." He sighed, raising his hands in defeat.
As he turned to leave, Omar glanced back at her.
"Hey, Laura… you're seriously taking them with you?"
"Yeah," she said simply, already walking toward her classroom.
Cassidy, Rachel, and Sandra hurried after her.
"But Laura," Sandra said softly, "I don't even have a passport. And I don't think I can afford it…"
"Don't worry about that," Laura cut in, her tone calm but certain.
Cassidy jumped in, "Okay, but Laura, even for my family—that's like, over thirteen hundred dollars per ticket. My parents would freak."
"Same," Rachel added, shrugging. "Tickets that far cost a fortune, Laura."
Laura stopped. She turned slowly, looking at each of them in turn. Her voice was calm, but her eyes steady.
"You don't need to worry. Remember what you said, Rachel? My grandma's basically like Queen Elizabeth."
Rachel blinked. "Wait—you mean… you're paying for us?"
Laura's lips curved into a faint smile. "Yeah."
Cassidy's jaw dropped. "You're kidding."
"Nope," Laura said. "But…"
She paused, glancing at each of them again.
"…there's one condition."
Cassidy leaned forward, eyes wide. "What condition?"
Laura just smiled faintly and turned toward the classroom.
"I'll tell you later."
The three girls exchanged confused looks before rushing to catch up, their whispers blending into the morning buzz of the hallway.