Chapter Five: The Secret She Keeps
669 Words
Maya Collins had always believed that knowledge was power.
That morning, she arrived at Havenridge High earlier than usual, her heels echoing sharply against the polished hallway floors. Her expression was calm, composed—but beneath it, her thoughts raced. She hadn’t slept well. Images of Liana clutching her head in the library, Noah holding her like she might disappear at any moment, replayed endlessly in her mind.
Something was wrong.
And worse—something was coming back.
Maya slipped into the guidance office under the pretense of dropping off paperwork for her mother, who sat on the school board. The secretary barely glanced up. Everyone knew Maya Collins.
She paused near an open filing cabinet, her fingers brushing against old records. Transfer files. Medical notes. Incident reports.
Her breath caught when she saw a familiar name.
Liana Moore.
Heart pounding, Maya glanced over her shoulder before pulling the file free. Her eyes scanned the contents quickly, greedily.
Traumatic incident… temporary memory loss… coastal accident…
Maya’s lips parted slightly.
So that was it.
Across campus, Liana sat in class unaware, her pen shaking faintly as she tried to focus. Her head still ached from the previous day. Fragments of images haunted her—water rushing over her head, a hand slipping from hers, someone screaming her name.
She rubbed her wrist absentmindedly, the scar warm beneath her fingers.
Don’t think about it, she told herself. Just breathe.
When the lunch bell rang, Noah was already waiting for her outside the classroom. He smiled when he saw her, and something inside her eased instantly.
“You okay today?” he asked.
She nodded. “Better.”
They sat together at lunch this time, ignoring the looks and whispers. Liana tried not to notice the way Maya watched them from across the cafeteria, her gaze sharp and calculating.
“So,” Noah said lightly, “what’s your favorite place here so far?”
Liana hesitated. “The beach. It feels… familiar.”
His expression softened. “Yeah. It does.”
They didn’t notice Maya standing until she spoke.
“Careful,” Maya said coolly. “Some memories are better left buried.”
Liana looked up, startled. “What does that mean?”
Maya smiled sweetly. “Just friendly advice.”
Noah stood. “What’s your problem, Maya?”
Her eyes flicked to him. “I’m trying to protect you.”
Before either of them could respond, Maya turned and walked away, heels clicking triumphantly against the floor.
Liana’s stomach twisted.
Later that day, Liana was called to the nurse’s office.
The door closed softly behind her.
“You’ve been experiencing headaches?” the nurse asked kindly.
Liana nodded. “And flashes. Memories I can’t place.”
The nurse hesitated. “If they get worse, you should tell your parents.”
Liana swallowed hard.
That evening, she went to the beach alone again. The tide was higher than before, waves crashing violently against the rocks.
She took a step closer.
“Don’t.”
Noah’s voice stopped her.
He approached from behind, concern etched across his face. “You shouldn’t be here alone when the tide’s this strong.”
She turned to him. “I feel like the ocean is trying to tell me something.”
His jaw tightened. “It almost took you once.”
Her breath caught. “You remember?”
His eyes darkened. “I remember everything.”
The words hit her like a wave.
“You were drowning,” he continued softly. “We were kids. You slipped. I couldn’t hold on.”
Tears filled her eyes. “So why don’t I remember you?”
He stepped closer. “Because someone made sure you didn’t.”
A figure watched them from a distance.
Maya.
Her fingers trembled around her phone.
She’s remembering too fast, Maya thought. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
She turned away, dialing a number.
“We have a problem,” she said quietly.
The past had been unlocked.
And someone was desperate to keep it buried.
- Writer
