Chapter 11 – A House Isn't Always a Home
The silence that followed Chloe's name was louder than any scream Ava had ever heard. Her mind was a storm of confusion, fear, and aching grief. The pain was raw, and with every moment, it only cut deeper. Cami stood still, eyes dark with secrets she had carried too long, while Lana wrapped her arms tightly around herself.
They had escaped the dorm—the only home they had known—and ended up in the abandoned apartment Cami once used as a safe house. The hideout was a worn-down flat in a forgotten part of town, with peeling wallpaper and creaky floors. It wasn't much, but it was safe. For now.
Jessy had insisted on coming along. He had been frantic when they left, claiming he couldn't let Ava go through this alone. And she let him come, because he had always been there—her friend, her comfort, her constant.
But now, as the four of them sat in the dimly lit living room, the air was thick with tension. Ava was curled up on the couch, Jessy seated beside her, his hand never leaving hers. Lana and Cami sat across from them, both clearly exhausted.
"So," Jessy finally spoke, trying to break the silence. "Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on now? Because from where I'm sitting, none of this makes any sense."
Ava looked up, her eyes heavy with shadows. "You deserve to know everything now. All of it."
Lana exchanged a glance with Cami before nodding. Cami began, her voice low. "It started before Crestfield. With Chloe. She knew something about the school… something dangerous."
"She mentioned an organization once," Ava added. "But never told me much. Just that she was being watched. I thought she was paranoid."
Jessy frowned. "So you're saying what—Crestfield is part of some... secret group?"
"Not just part of it," Cami said. "Built by it. Funded by people with influence—people who use students like experiments. People who erase anyone who tries to speak out."
Jessy shook his head, eyes wide. "That sounds insane. You realize that, right?"
Ava nodded. "I thought so too. Until Chloe died. And then I started seeing things. Hearing things."
Lana leaned forward. "And then we found the journal. Chloe kept records. Names. Dates. Clues. But it's encrypted. We're still trying to decode the last part."
Jessy let out a breath and rubbed his face. "This is... a lot. But I'm here, Ava. I'm not going anywhere."
She looked at him gratefully. Despite everything, Jessy was still here. Maybe that was what mattered.
Cami stood. "We need rest. Tomorrow, we start tracking down the East Wing again. Chloe mentioned it in her notes. That's where this all leads."
---
Later that night, Ava sat on the balcony alone, staring at the city lights. The wind was cold, and her thoughts colder. Chloe's laughter echoed in her memory—bright, defiant, unforgettable.
"You okay?" Jessy asked as he joined her, draping a blanket over her shoulders.
She nodded slowly. "Just... thinking about her. About all of this."
Jessy sat beside her. "You don't have to carry it all alone. We're in this together."
Ava turned to look at him. "Promise?"
His eyes met hers. "Always."
---
The next day, the four of them gathered again, preparing for the next move. Jessy helped Lana and Cami map out Crestfield's layout on paper while Ava studied Chloe's journal.
"Here," she said suddenly, pointing to a circled phrase: "The gate isn't just physical. It's buried under memories."
Cami frowned. "What does that mean?"
"Maybe it's not a real gate. Maybe it's a metaphor—or maybe it's something hidden in plain sight," Ava said.
Lana stood. "We need to go back. To the East Wing. Even if it's locked down. If Chloe left something there, we'll find it."
Jessy nodded. "Then we plan. No mistakes this time."
As the others discussed logistics, Jessy glanced at Ava again—eyes full of affection, loyalty, and something else hidden just beneath the surface.
Something no one else could see.
Something that would hurt more than anything when it came to light.