The Redemption of my mates.

The return of the ones that left.

Ariana(POV)

It’s been a week. A week without beating. A week of peace and a week where I got my voice back. Not really back, but I can whisper, like something comes out of my mouth without my chest tightening.

And, a whole week since Elijah started ignoring me.

He even moved seats. Away from me.

That’s what I wanted, right? Distance. Space. Freedom.

Then why does my heart feel so… empty?

Every time I glance back, I see him smiling.

Laughing.

Flirting with some new girl like he’s auditioning for a bad teen movie.

Does he even think about me?

Probably not.

I was walking down the corridor when I heard two girls whispering near the lockers.

“Do you know why Elijah is acting all normal again?” one asked, flipping her shiny curls.

“Why?” the other said.

“Because his friends are coming back from vacation today.”

“The Cooper twins?!”

“Yes!”

They squealed, holding hands and jumping like they just found out BTS was transferring to our school.

“We need to go to the salon. Our crushes are coming back!” Screamed one while jumping.

“Ugh, but they’ll never notice us if Ginger’s around. Those three are always with her.”

“She’s not here now, remember? Out playing for the school team.”

“Still—she’s coming back this week too. That Ginger never leaves them alone.”

They groaned dramatically and strutted off, talking about hair masks and lip gloss.

So that’s it.

Elijah precious friends are back.

Of course. He didn’t want them to see him hanging out with me.

And there I was, thinking maybe he was different.

Silly, stupid me.

Suddenly, everyone started running toward the staircase. The whole corridor emptied in seconds.

“What the—?” I muttered, following the noise.

Downstairs, a crowd of girls surrounded something—or someone. They were screaming, taking pictures, acting like wild paparazzi.

Maybe a celebrity came to our school.

Whatever. Not my problem.

I turned around and went back to class, sliding into my seat.

The bell rang just as everyone poured in, loud and chaotic as usual, but I didn’t look up. Didn’t wanna meet Elijah.

When class went quiet, I looked at the door and that when Elijah walked in too, laughing. He didn’t even glance my way.

Not once.

The teacher entered right after, her expression already done with the day.

“Alright, everyone, sit down,” she said. “So…the clown is back. I expect good behavior this time. No complaints. And that includes you, Alexandra.”

The class burst out laughing.

The teacher just shook her head and sighed.

Alexander? First time hearing that name.

By break time, my brain was fried.

I grabbed my sketchbook and went to my favorite spot—the old tree near the field. My quiet place.

The air smelled like chalk dust and cut grass. I sat down and started sketching, losing myself in the lines.

Then I felt someone sit beside me.

My heart skipped.

Maybe… Elijah finally came.

I looked up with a smile, and my smile dropped when I saw who it was.

It wasn’t him.

It was a girl, her light eyes sparkling, her smile warm and familiar.

“Hey,” she said. “Do you remember me?”

I blinked. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember her.

She laughed softly.

“Wow. You really don’t remember? I thought I was your only friend.”

Friend?

I’ve never really had any.

Then she started to sing quietly—

“Rain, rain, go away, come back another day… me and Aria have to play…”

My breath caught.

That voice. That rhyme.

“Ginger?” I whispered.

Her face lit up. “You do remember!”

She threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

For a second, I froze, then she whispered,

“You better hug me back—or else.”

I laughed shakily and hugged her.

When was the last time someone held me like this?

She smelled like vanilla and flowers.

When we finally pulled away, she said, “You still look the same,”studying me. “Except you’ve lost so much weight. Are you even eating properly?”

I didn’t know what to say.

She smiled and shook her head.

“I missed you so much, bestie. I can’t believe God brought us back together like this. Come on—let’s get food before class.”

Before I could answer, she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the cafeteria.

The second we walked in, people started whispering.

Eyes followed us everywhere.

She ignored them, ordered sandwiches for both of us, and kept talking.

About her family—now rich.

About how she plays netball for the school.

About her grades, her goals, her dreams.

She was still Ginger, just brighter, shinier… untouchable.

The bell rang again, and we went to class together.

She apologized to the teacher and sat next to me.

Then Elijah walked in.

He stopped at our place. Out of excitement I couldn’t breathe, he’s finally going to talk to me.

He called, “My baby!” smiled at her, leaned in, and kissed her cheek.

My stomach twisted. This was unexpected.

Ginger blushed, shoving him lightly.

They started talking, laughing like they’d known each other forever.

She introduced us.

He just nodded like I was some stranger. Like he didn’t want to befriend me.

“Did you meet the Coopers yet?” he asked Ginger.

“Not yet.”

“Cool. After school, let’s catch up.”

“Sure!”

He walked back to his seat.

I turned slightly and caught him staring at me.

When our eyes met, he looked away fast.

Fine, Elijah. Be like this, I don’t care. Stay away all you want.

The day flew by.

When the final bell rang, I waited outside for Dad. The sun was low, painting the sky in soft orange and pink.

Then someone bumped into me.

“Sorry,” he said, not even looking up.

I froze. He looks so familiar.

He picked up his phone, and when he finally looked up—

he smirked.

“Noah. Noah Cooper.” I whispered

He didn’t bother to look at me, like we some kinda strangers, He walked away, straight into a circle of students.

Ginger was there, laughing.

Elijah had his arm around her shoulders, his head tilted back as he laughed too.

Maybe Ginger is Elijah’s girlfriend.

Dad’s truck pulled up. I climbed in and shut the door, glancing back.

Elijah’s eyes met mine for a second as we drove past.

Noah was still smiling.

He looked so happy.

Like he belonged here.

When we got home, I changed, ate something small, did my homework, and started the laundry.

Dad came home late—drunk again.

I helped him to bed, wincing when his hand caught my arm too hard.

Another bruise.

When he finally passed out, I went to my room.

The house was silent.

Too silent. Today came to my mind. It was.. weird. I get why Elijah was acting like a stranger, but don’t get why Noah was. Did he already forget about me?

I guess he did, anyways who will remember a stranger you meet for few hours.

I climbed my bed, curled up under the blanket, staring at the ceiling.

And for the first time in a long time, I wished someone—anyone—would stay.

The next morning, school felt louder than usual.

The air buzzed with excitement and whispers like something big was about to happen.

Maybe it was just me.

Or maybe it was them.

When I walked into class, Ginger was already there, surrounded by a small crowd. She was laughing, tossing her hair like she was born to be the center of attention.

And Elijah?

He was sitting beside her, grinning at every word she said.

I took my seat quietly, pretending I didn’t notice.

But my chest felt heavy.

Every sound—their laughter, the squeak of the chairs, the slam of lockers—seemed louder than it should.

I opened my sketchbook and tried to lose myself in the lines.

“Aria!”

Her voice cut through the noise.

I looked up. Ginger was waving at me like we hadn’t just gone years without seeing each other.

“Come here, bestie! Sit with us!”

I froze for a second. Every pair of eyes in the room turned toward me.

Elijah’s too.

I forced a small smile and walked over, pretending I didn’t care.

Ginger grinned.

“I was just telling them how we used to play together when we were kids. Remember the time you tried to build a treehouse and fell off before finishing the first floor?”

Everyone laughed—including Elijah.

“Yeah,” I said softly. “I remember.”

He didn’t look at me again, but I caught the faint smirk tugging at his lips.

The one that used to make my heart race.

Now it just hurt.

At break, Ginger dragged me to the cafeteria again.

The whole place was buzzing—people talking, laughing, phones out. I followed her to a table near the window, where two boys were already sitting.

Noah and Zack.

Ginger waved dramatically.

“Boys! Look who I found!”

Zack smiled politely. “Hey.”

Noah leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning me slowly before smirking. Did he finally remembered me.

Elijah appeared out of nowhere, slinging his arm casually over Ginger’s chair.

“We were just talking about you,” he said, eyes flicking to mine.

Me? Why me?

Ginger laughed. “Told you! She’s back, and she’s not going anywhere.” She looked at me and said, “ This morning you were late, Elijah thought you dropped out.”

Everyone chuckled. Everyone but me.

Because the way Elijah looked at Noah—like there was some unspoken challenge between them—made my stomach twist.

After lunch, I escaped to the art room.

The smell of paint and paper was the only thing that ever calmed me.

I sat near the window, sketching random shapes that turned into faces I didn’t mean to draw. Elijah’s. Ginger’s.

Noah’s.

“Still hiding in here?”

I didn’t have to look up. I knew that voice.

Ginger leaned against the doorframe, hands in her pockets, eyes glinting with mischief.

“I’m not hiding,” I said. “Just needed somewhere quiet.”

“Same thing,” she replied, walking closer. “You always needed quiet, even when we were kids.”

I blinked. “You remember that?”

She smiled faintly. “I remember a lot of things.”

For a moment, the room felt too small.

Too quiet.

She looked at my sketchbook.

“You still draw?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re good,” she said softly, before adding, “Better than before.”

Before I could say anything, the bell rang.

“See you around, Aria.”

And then she was gone.

After school, I waited for Dad again.

The sky was turning gold, and the air smelled like rain.

Ginger and Elijah were standing near the gate, laughing at something on his phone.

Noah and Zack and a someone I can barely see were a few steps away, talking quietly.

I watched them for a moment—the five of them together—and felt like I was staring at a world I didn’t belong in. And I will never belong in it.

When Dad’s truck finally stopped in front of me, I climbed in quickly.

He didn’t say much, just grunted something about being tired.

As we drove off, I glanced out the window one last time.

Elijah was watching.

Noah too.

Two different eyes.

Two different stories.

Both pulling at the same fragile heart.

That night, I sat by my window, the city lights glowing faintly in the distance.

Ginger was back. I finally had a friend. Noah acted like he didn’t know me like usual,

And Elijah…

Elijah was still a mystery I couldn’t stop trying to solve.

I touched the new bruise on my arm and sighed.

Some people come back to your life like sunshine.

Others, like storms.

And sometimes, you can’t tell which one’s which—

until it’s too late. Even if Ginger is back, I should follow dad’s rule of no friends. If he finds out I have a friend and I can speak, he might just do the unthinkable to me.