But her reflection in the glass—her own face—looked like the stretched version of herself she'd found in the journal.
Not distorted. Just… pulled from another layer of time.
There were glimpses: arms around her, an embrace filled with longing. A voice she couldn't quite catch. A kiss never seen. It didn't belong to her—but she felt it. All of it.
Her breath caught. She pulled the love letter from her pocket and read it again, fingers trembling.
*I still see you when I close my eyes.*
*Even if the stars forget, I won't.*
*Wherever you end up—be more than they made you.*
*You were always more.*
*—E.H.*
The weight of the loss hit her like gravity. A sorrow without origin. Love—anchored in a different lifetime.
Her comm pinged.
——-
Fan Ka'rui: "YO WHERE YOU AT"——-
—
Salven Hazel III: "She better have snacks"——-
—
Fan Ka'rui: "I got her cocoa. She skips and we're fighting."——-
—
Salven Hazel III: "Tell her to bring a cig. I'm dying."——-
—
Fan Ka'rui: "That's what you get for dating a fling with lung cancer."——-
—
Lasi: "You're living The Fault In Our Stars live-action."Fan
—
Ka'rui: "DEAD 💀"——-
—
Salven Hazel III: "I hate all of you."——-
—
Lasi didn't smile—but the warmth was there, behind her eyes. Her friends. Her sanity anchors. Her burden de-spanders.
As Lasi approached the school gates, her comm buzzed again.
——
Fan Ka'rui: "You better be bringing snacks."——
—
Salven Hazel III: "If not, I'm staging a hunger strike."——
Scarlet: "Forget snacks. Lasi, did you pack the road trip playlist?"——
—
Lasi: "Only if you want to hear 'Intergalactic' on repeat."——
Fan Ka'rui: "Classic. But if I hear 'Bohemian Rhapsody' one more time…"——
—
Salven Hazel III: "Don't you dare insult Queen."——
Scarlet: "Settle down, children. Lasi, you're in charge of tunes."——
—
Lasi: "Great. Hope you all like whale sounds and Gregorian chants."——
—
Fan Ka'rui: "As long as there's no yodeling."——
—
Salven Hazel III: "I'm bringing earplugs."——
—
Scarlet: "This trip is going to be legendary."——
—-
Lasi smirked, pocketing her comm as she spotted her friends waiting by the entrance.
"Look who decided to grace us with her presence," Ka'rui teased.
"I was busy curating the perfect playlist," Lasi replied, feigning seriousness.
"If it includes whale sounds, I'm out," Salven warned.
"Then you'll miss the yodeling remix," Lasi quipped.
They laughed, the camaraderie easing the lingering tension from earlier.
"So, road trip plans?" Ka'rui prompted.
"Scarlet's got it all mapped out," Lasi said. "I'm just here for the snacks and sarcastic commentary."
"As long as you bring the sarcasm, we're good," Salven grinned.
Together, they walked into the school, their laughter echoing down the halls, the promise of adventure ahead.
Ka'rui waved her hot cocoa like a trophy. Salven looked dramatically tired.
"She always keeps us in the loop," Ka'rui said. "Especially when it involves our group baby."
Lasi glared. "I'm not the baby."
They both snorted.
"You are the baby," Salven said. "You're the emotionally mysterious, baby."
"Cute though," Ka'rui added.
They walked into the school building together, the afternoon sun casting long shadows behind them. The day still felt off-kilter—but with her crew beside her, the world tilted just slightly less.