The classroom suddenly felt too small.
Too quiet.
Ayla's heartbeat grew louder with every second as the girl's words echoed in her mind.
You're not supposed to be here.
"…What do you mean?" Ayla asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
The girl didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she tilted her head slightly, studying Ayla's face like she was inspecting something… unnatural.
Then she smiled.
"I mean exactly what I said."
Noah stood up.
His chair scraped lightly against the floor.
"That's enough, Mira."
Ayla blinked.
Mira.
So that was her name.
Mira didn't even look at him.
Her eyes stayed on Ayla.
"…You didn't tell her?" she asked calmly.
Noah's voice hardened. "There's nothing to tell."
That was a lie.
Ayla could feel it.
Mira let out a soft laugh.
"Still pretending?" she said. "That's kind of sad."
Ayla frowned, her chest tightening.
"Can someone explain what's going on?" she said, more firmly now.
Mira finally shifted her gaze to Noah.
For a moment, something sharp passed between them.
Something old.
Something tense.
Then she looked back at Ayla.
"Fine," she said. "Let's keep it simple."
She stepped a little closer.
Too close.
"You look exactly like my dead friend," she said.
Ayla's stomach dropped.
"And that would be creepy enough…" Mira continued softly, "but the problem is—"
Her eyes darkened slightly.
"…you don't just look like her."
Ayla's breath caught.
"You feel like her."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Noah stepped in front of Ayla slightly.
"Stop it," he said.
Mira sighed.
"You're both so annoying."
She crossed her arms, leaning slightly to the side.
"Fine, I'll say it clearly so even you understand," she added, looking at Ayla again.
"If Lena is dead…"
She paused.
Then smiled.
"…then what exactly are you?"
Ayla couldn't answer.
Because for the first time—
She didn't know.
The bell rang.
Students started moving again, breaking the tension like nothing had just happened.
But for Ayla…
Everything had changed.
Mira turned to leave, then stopped at the door.
"Oh—and Ayla?"
Ayla looked up.
Mira's smile returned, softer this time.
But somehow…
More dangerous.
"Stay away from things you don't understand," she said.
"…or you might end up like her."
Then she walked out.
The classroom felt cold.
Ayla sat there, frozen.
Noah slowly turned back to her.
"…Don't listen to her," he said quietly.
Ayla looked at him.
"Then tell me the truth."
He hesitated.
And that hesitation—
Said everything again.
That evening, Ayla couldn't focus on anything.
Not homework.
Not music.
Not even her thoughts.
Everything felt tangled.
Confusing.
Wrong.
She sat on her bed, staring at nothing.
"…What am I?" she whispered.
The question scared her.
Because now…
It didn't feel like a joke anymore.
That night—
The dream came back.
But this time…
It wasn't peaceful.
Rain poured heavily from the sky.
Cold.
Relentless.
Ayla stood there, soaked, her body trembling.
But she couldn't move.
Her feet felt stuck to the ground.
"Noah…" she tried to call out.
But her voice felt weak.
Distant.
Then—
Footsteps.
Slow.
Careful.
Someone was behind her.
Her heart began to race.
Don't turn.
Don't turn.
But she did.
And all she saw—
Was a shadow.
Tall.
Unclear.
Watching her.
Waiting.
"…Why?" she whispered.
The figure didn't respond.
But then—
A sharp pain exploded through her chest.
Ayla gasped.
Her eyes widened.
She looked down.
Nothing was there.
But she could feel it.
Something had pierced her.
Her body collapsed to the ground.
Cold rain hitting her skin.
Her vision fading.
And the last thing she saw—
Was that shadow… stepping closer.
Ayla woke up screaming.
Her body shot upright, breathing wildly.
Her hand flew to her chest.
The same spot.
The same pain.
"…I died," she whispered, shaking.
Tears filled her eyes.
"That… that was me…"
It wasn't just a dream anymore.
It was real.
She could feel it.
She remembered it.
The next morning, she looked worse.
Pale.
Tired.
Shaken.
But she still went to school.
Because now…
She needed answers.
As she walked through the hallway—
She didn't notice someone watching her.
From a distance.
Mira.
Leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
Her eyes followed Ayla carefully.
"…So it's starting," she murmured.
Then her expression darkened slightly.
"Guess we're running out of time."