The next morning, I woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in days. I took a long shower, letting the warm water wash away the weight of the previous night. After changing into something cozy, I made my way downstairs.
The scent of maple syrup and freshly brewed tea wafted through the house.
"Good morning, Mum," I said cheerfully, slipping into a seat at the kitchen table.
"Well, someone's in a surprisingly good mood today," she replied with a raised brow, smiling as she placed a plate of pancakes and a steaming mug of tea in front of me.... my favorite.
We sat across from each other, eating and chatting about how things had changed in Oxville. The neighborhood had gotten quieter, the local shops had new owners, and a few more luxury homes had sprouted like weeds along the main road.
Then, the doorbell rang.
I looked at her. "Are you expecting anyone?"
She shook her head and stood. "Not really."
When she opened the door, I heard familiar footsteps, fast and deliberate.
Then...
"Terra," Mira said, folding her arms, looking less than pleased. "You're back. And you didn't think to let me know? I had to hear it from your mum!"
I blinked, caught off guard. "Hey, Mira… you look cool."
There was a long pause as we stared at each other, the tension hanging like a storm cloud. Then suddenly, she broke into a smile and threw her arms around me.
"Ha! You idiot, I've missed you so much!"
I laughed and hugged her back. "I missed you too."
After lunch, we decided to go for a walk. Mira insisted on showing me all the things that had changed, new murals in the park, a redesigned plaza, even a fancy new smoothie bar. We talked about everything, her life in Oxville, the drama I left behind, and the absolute madness that had become my reality at Caveroop High.
"You seriously won't come near the school?" she asked with a grin as we passed the street leading to Oxville High.
"I don't think I'm ready," I replied, my voice tight.
But she wouldn't let it go. After some relentless begging and a lot of dramatic guilt-tripping, I caved.
The moment we stepped onto school grounds, the silence hit me like a punch. The basketball court. The theater wing. The art block. My past was painted across every brick.
Then it happened. The scent of cherry lip balm. The echo of synchronized footsteps. Laughter like glass breaking.
I saw us, me, Andrea, Williams, Cheo and Destiny.... sweeping through the hallways like we owned the school. Andrea in her designer heels, Destiny snapping photos, Williams flirting shamelessly, Cheo cracking jokes at everyone else's expense. And me… in the center of it all. Laughing. Leading. Watching as they tore people apart for fun and doing nothing to stop it.
Then Mira. Quiet, kind Mira. Her locker covered in sticky notes that said "Freak" and "Loser." Her sketchbook ripped and thrown in the trash. The day she cried in the bathroom and I walked past without a word. I still hear the slam of that stall door in my dreams.
The memory pulled at my chest like vines.
"Terra?" Mira's voice snapped me back.
I turned to her, trying to hide how pale I felt. "Sorry. Just… remembering."
We continued the walk in silence. The school had changed. New paint, some modern benches, a renovated science block. But beneath it all, the ghosts still lingered.
It was the weekend, so the place was nearly deserted. But the silence only made the ghosts louder.
"See? Not so bad," Mira said, looping her arm through mine as we wandered past the gym.
Then we saw them.
Andrea. Williams. Destiny. Cheo.
My former inner circle. My so-called "besties."
They stood in a huddle near the courtyard fountain, looking exactly as I remembered them, smirking, flawless, cruel. Their eyes locked on me the second I passed by.
"Well, look who decided to crawl back," Cheo sneered.
"Did you get expelled this time?" Andrea added with a mocking laugh.
Destiny crossed her arms. "Still hanging out with this loser?" she asked, glancing at Mira.
Mira stepped backward, eyes down. She was still the timid girl I remembered
Seeing how quiet she grew I stepped up and snapped at them"Yeah. Because she didn't abandon me when I needed her the most." then I turned to her and said calmly "Come on, Mira. Let's go," we walked away without looking back.
Their laughter died in the wind.
Later that evening, Mira and I sat in her room, surrounded by old photo albums and half-eaten snacks. I told her everything or most of it. I spared her the supernatural details and instead talked about Jesse, the betrayal, the suspension.
She listened quietly, her face a mixture of concern and disbelief.
"Wow," she whispered. "You've really been through it."
"Yeah," I sighed. "indeed I have."
...
Weeks passed. I started to find a rhythm again. Oxville began to feel like less of a cage and more of a soft landing.
Then came the annual Oxville Award Ceremony, hosted by the mayor. Mira and I dressed up for the event, her in a deep blue gown, me in something silver and sleek. For a few hours, we danced, laughed, and enjoyed being just two teenage girls without burdens.
When the main ceremony began, Mira introduced me to Liam, the mayor's son. He was effortlessly charming, with a smile that belonged in a movie.
"You're Terra, right?" he asked.
"Guilty," I said, grinning.
We talked for a while music, movies, life in Oxville. For a moment, I almost forgot the shadows that had been chasing me.
But then... I saw her.
Her.
The woman from the woods. Pale skin. Dark eyes. Dressed in the same flowing black robe.
She was standing in the middle of the crowd, unmoving, her eyes locked on mine.
She smiled. And waved.
I froze.
"Hey, are you okay?" Liam asked, noticing the way I'd gone stiff.
I turned to him, then looked back but she was gone.
Vanished.
No... it couldn't be. How had she followed me here?
"Yeah I'm fine" I repiled with a faint smile.
The next day, I packed my things. My suspension was up. It was time to go back.
I hugged Mira goodbye, promising to keep in touch. She held me a little too tightly.
I bid my mum farewell too before heading onto the bus.
When I arrived at Caveroop High, it was late. The sky was overcast and my nerves were on edge. I couldn't bring myself to return to the hostel, not after what I saw last night.
Instead, I made my way to the school clinic. Maybe Raymond could help me make sense of it all.
The clinic door creaked as I pushed it open. The soft hum of fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. Raymond was there, sitting at his desk, eyes red-rimmed from hours of work.
When he saw me, he stood abruptly.
"Terra," he said, his voice almost breaking. "You're back."
I stepped inside, ready to explain everything. But then, something in the corner caught my attention.
Two figures. Huddled. Whispering.
I moved closer, heart pounding.
Then I saw their faces.
My blood turned to ice.
"Resa? Alexa?" I whispered, trembling. "You're... alive?"
Raymond rushed over to me, grabbing my shoulders. "You can see them?"
That's when I realized...
They weren't alive.
They were ghosts.
And I could see them.
My voice was barely a whisper. "What's happening to me?"