The atmosphere in the dorm room was heavy with silence and soreness. Lemon gently closed the door behind her as she stepped inside with the rest of the girls. They were quiet—too quiet. She turned her gaze toward Evelyn and Riley, and her eyes widened slightly as she noticed the red scrapes on Riley's knuckles and a bruise forming on Evelyn's cheekbone.
"Sit," Lemon ordered softly, her voice carrying more weight than if she had shouted. The two girls obediently sat down on the lower bunk bed, their breaths heavy with the exhaustion of the earlier chaos.
Lemon walked to the shelf near her desk and pulled out a small blue plastic box. She opened the first aid kit, revealing bandages, ointments, and antiseptic gel. She sat beside Evelyn first, gently wiping the dirt from her bruise with cotton and antiseptic. Evelyn winced, but didn't flinch.
"You two promised you wouldn't fight again," Lemon said quietly as she moved on to Riley's hand. "So now, promise me again. No more fights. Please."
Neither girl responded. The silence answered for them.
Lemon gave them one last look, as if trying to pass on some of her strength to them, then stood and returned to her desk. She sat down, fingers fidgeting for a moment before she picked up her phone and dialed.
"Mom?" she said when the call connected.
"Hey sweetie," came the warm voice of her mother, Elise Carter.
"I saw someone today," Lemon began slowly. "A girl. I don't know why, but she looked... familiar. She bumped into me, and my phone fell. She picked it up and just... stared at the wallpaper. At you and me. For way too long. I don't know why, but it felt strange. Like she recognized us or something."
There was a pause before Elise replied, "Don't stress about it, honey. Maybe she was just being nosy. I'm doing something important right now, but we'll talk later, okay? Just promise me—don't stress too much."
Lemon smiled a little. "I promise, Mom."
"Good girl. Love you."
"Love you too."
The call ended, and before she could even put the phone down, it buzzed again. This time, Leon.
She accepted the call, smiling softly. "Hey, Leon."
"Hey, what are you doing?"
Lemon sighed. "Just feeling a little stressed."
Leon's voice immediately turned soft and teasing. "If you stress too much, you'll get wrinkles."
Lemon laughed quietly. "Says the guy who already has dark circles."
"I do not!" Leon protested. "I'm just lying here in bed like a homeless person."
"Did you eat anything?" she asked, concern slipping into her tone.
"No, not really. I don't feel hungry."
Lemon frowned. "Leon, you have to eat. Or you'll get skinny like a twig."
"Then I'll be a cute twig. Don't worry, I'll eat later."
"Did you find anything? Any clues?" he asked after a pause.
Lemon leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. "No, nothing new. But something's not right. I can feel it. Like there's more hidden underneath. Layers we haven't peeled yet."
Leon chuckled. "I told you, don't stress too much. You know what happens."
Lemon smiled faintly. "Yeah. I know."
"Okay," Leon said, his voice turning soft. "Rest for now. I'll call you later."
"Okay. You too."
"Bye. I love you."
Lemon's cheeks warmed. "Love you too."
They ended the call.
Lemon stood up and turned to the others. "I'm starving. Let's go eat something."
The group made their way to the canteen. It was bustling as usual, with students chatting, eating, laughing. Lemon and her friends found an empty table near the back and settled down with their food.
As they began eating, Lemon noticed something.
Several girls at a nearby table were staring at her. Whispering. Pointing.
Riley was the first to react. She stood up abruptly, eyes narrowed, her fists clenched. Evelyn followed, her face dark with anger.
Lemon's voice rang out firmly. "Don't you dare get up from that seat."
The girls froze, startled by Lemon's tone.
"I mean it," she added. "Sit. Eat. We are not giving them what they want."
Riley sat again, reluctantly, her eyes never leaving the whispering girls.
They finished their meal quickly and returned to their dorm. Books and notebooks were scattered on the table as they started their homework. Lemon's phone buzzed. It was a call.
"Mom?" she answered.
"Lemon," Elise's voice was breathless. "I remembered. That girl... I've seen her before."
Lemon straightened up. "What? Where?"
"It was three years ago. After that terrible car accident near the cliffs. A man brought a badly injured girl to our doorstep. She couldn't speak much, was confused, but she stayed with us for a while as she healed. Then one day, she just disappeared."
Lemon's heart thudded in her chest. "Mom... what did she look like?"
"She wore glasses. She had long black hair then. Quiet. Always watching. And when I saw that picture you mentioned... that was her. I'm sure."
Lemon's hand shook slightly. The connection clicked in her head.
"I think I know who she is now," she whispered.
Elise's voice was laced with worry. "Lemon... be careful. If she's really the same girl... then something's wrong. I can feel it."
Lemon nodded, her throat tight. "Thanks, Mom. I'll call you soon."
She ended the call and turned to her friends, who were already watching her with anxious eyes.
"What happened?" Hazel asked.
"She's the one," Lemon said, voice hollow. "Three years ago, after a car accident, a girl stayed with us. She was injured. Confused. Quiet. Then one day she ran away. My mom just remembered. And I think... I think she's back."
The room turned to ice.
"What do we do?" Evelyn whispered.
Lemon didn't answer.
Because deep inside her, she didn't know either.
But the truth was coming.
And it was coming fast.