CHAPTER 9_ The Library Still Remembers
2138 Words
The girls' dormitory was unusually loud that evening.
Not because of assignments.
Not because of exams.
And certainly not because of tomorrow's classes.
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It was gossip.
Pure, delicious gossip.
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The kind that spread through Crestview Academy faster than wildfire.
The kind that had students glued to their phones.
The kind that made group chats explode.
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Inside Dormitory C, Room 304, three girls occupied the luxurious suite that overlooked the academy grounds.
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Vivian Laurent sat in front of her vanity mirror.
Sophia lounged across her bed scrolling through social media.
Camille stood in front of her wardrobe deciding what to wear the next day.
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The room was filled with soft music.
Expensive perfume.
And the comfortable arrogance that came from knowing they ruled half the school.
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Or at least they believed they did.
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Sophia suddenly sat upright.
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"What?"
Camille frowned.
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Sophia blinked.
Then blinked again.
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"No way."
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"What?"
Camille repeated.
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Sophia shoved her phone forward.
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"You have to see this."
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Camille grabbed the phone.
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A few seconds later—
her eyes widened.
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"Oh."
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Vivian didn't bother looking up from the mirror.
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"What now?"
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Camille slowly lowered the phone.
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"Ethan Shawn."
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The name finally caught Vivian's attention.
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Her hand stopped midway through applying lip gloss.
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For the first time all evening—
she looked interested.
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"What about him?"
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Sophia swallowed.
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"He's back."
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Silence.
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The room seemed to freeze.
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Even the music suddenly felt distant.
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Vivian slowly turned around.
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"Back?"
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Sophia nodded.
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"Released."
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Camille handed her the phone.
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Vivian took it.
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Her eyes immediately found the headline.
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ETHAN SHAWN RELEASED AFTER FIVE YEARS
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Beneath it were dozens of comments.
Hundreds.
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Students discussing it.
Speculating.
Talking about what happened years ago.
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The old scandal.
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Arielle Vance.
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Ethan Shawn.
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Lucien Moretti.
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Vivian stared at the screen.
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Then something dangerous happened.
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She smiled.
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Sophia noticed immediately.
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"Oh no."
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Camille groaned.
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"What?"
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Sophia pointed.
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"That smile."
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Camille looked at Vivian.
Then immediately sighed.
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"Oh no."
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Vivian ignored them.
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Her eyes remained fixed on the article.
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Five years ago.
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Everyone knew what happened.
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Or at least the version Crestview knew.
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And everyone knew one thing.
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Ethan hated Arielle.
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A lot.
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The same Arielle who had suddenly returned to school.
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The same Arielle Vivian wanted gone.
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Interesting.
Very interesting.
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Sophia crossed her arms.
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"Why are you smiling?"
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Vivian finally looked up.
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"I just think the timing is perfect."
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Camille frowned.
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"Perfect?"
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Vivian placed the phone on her lap.
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"Arielle comes back."
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Nobody spoke.
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Then—
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"Ethan comes back."
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Sophia's eyes widened.
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"You aren't serious."
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Vivian laughed.
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"Who said anything?"
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Sophia knew that laugh.
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It was the same laugh Vivian made whenever she was plotting something.
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And that never ended well for anyone.
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Camille sat on the edge of her bed.
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"You hate her that much?"
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Vivian's smile faded slightly.
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The question annoyed her.
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"Hate her?"
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She laughed again.
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"No."
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Lie.
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A very obvious lie.
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Even Sophia rolled her eyes.
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Vivian stood from her chair and walked toward the large window.
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Outside, Crestview Academy glittered beneath the evening lights.
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Beautiful.
Exclusive.
Powerful.
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Exactly the type of place Arielle never should have belonged.
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And yet somehow—
she always became the center of attention.
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Vivian hated that.
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Not because Arielle was prettier.
Not because she was smarter.
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Because Arielle never seemed to try.
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Everything simply came to her.
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The teachers loved her.
The students admired her.
The principal adored her.
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And worst of all—
the Vantae Five.
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Lucien.
Marco.
Elias.
Isabella.
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Vivian's jaw tightened.
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Especially Lucien.
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She had spent years trying to get his attention.
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Years.
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And yet whenever Arielle entered a room—
everyone looked at her instead.
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Including him.
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The memory still burned.
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Even now.
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Especially now.
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Sophia walked over.
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"You know what I think?"
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Vivian glanced at her.
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"What?"
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Sophia smirked.
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"I think you're terrified."
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Vivian's expression darkened.
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"Of what?"
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Sophia shrugged.
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"That Arielle came back."
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Silence.
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The room suddenly felt colder.
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Because Sophia wasn't entirely wrong.
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Vivian wasn't afraid of Arielle.
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She was afraid of what Arielle represented.
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Memories.
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The Vantae Five.
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The version of Lucien that no longer existed.
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Arielle's return threatened all of that.
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And Vivian hated uncertainty.
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Camille suddenly grabbed the phone again.
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"Wait."
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She frowned.
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"Do you think Ethan knows she's back?"
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Vivian looked at the screen.
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Then smiled.
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Slowly.
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Coldly.
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Venomously.
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"If he doesn't..."
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She picked up her phone.
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"I'm sure he'll find out soon enough."
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Sophia's stomach dropped.
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"Vivian."
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But Vivian was already typing.
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Already planning.
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Already imagining possibilities.
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Because sometimes life handed you opportunities.
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And Ethan Shawn?
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Ethan Shawn was a very useful opportunity.
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A dangerous one.
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But useful.
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Vivian looked out at the academy one final time.
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Somewhere out there—
Arielle Vance was settling back into her life.
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Completely unaware.
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Completely vulnerable.
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And now?
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The girl who returned expecting hatred from old friends might soon face something much worse.
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Vivian smiled at the thought.
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Then locked her phone.
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Tomorrow was going to be a very interesting day.
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Very interesting indeed.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Arielle woke before dawn.
Again.
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The room was dark.
Silent.
Still.
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Yet sleep refused to return.
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She lay there staring at the ceiling.
Listening to her own breathing.
Listening to the clock tick.
Listening to the cruel reminder that time was something she no longer had much of.
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Seven months.
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The doctor's voice still haunted her.
Every day.
Every hour.
Every second.
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Seven months.
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She turned onto her side.
The pale light of morning slipping through the curtains.
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Her chest felt heavy.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
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The kind of heaviness that came from carrying secrets alone.
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The kind of heaviness that came from knowing your future had already been decided.
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Slowly, she sat up.
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The room spun briefly.
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She waited.
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The dizziness passed.
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It always passed.
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Eventually.
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Arielle stood.
Walked to the mirror.
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For several seconds she simply stared.
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The girl looking back didn't feel like her anymore.
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Her eyes looked more tired.
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Her smile appeared less often.
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Even her skin seemed paler.
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"Still alive."
She whispered.
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The words sounded strange.
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Then she laughed.
A small laugh.
A broken laugh.
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"Congratulations, Arielle."
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Nobody answered.
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Of course nobody answered.
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She was alone.
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And somehow—
that was the hardest part.
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Not dying.
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Being alone while dying.
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Hours later she arrived at Crestview Academy.
Far earlier than necessary.
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Most students hadn't arrived yet.
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The campus was quiet.
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Peaceful.
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The way she remembered it years ago.
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Before everything broke.
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Arielle walked slowly.
Taking her time.
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Every corner carried memories.
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The fountain.
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The courtyard.
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The old staircase.
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The cherry blossom path.
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Everywhere she looked—
she saw ghosts.
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Not real ghosts.
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Memories.
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Marco laughing too loudly.
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Isabella complaining dramatically.
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Elias trying to stop their arguments.
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Lucien pretending he wasn't enjoying any of it.
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Arielle stopped walking.
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Because suddenly she could hear them.
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Not literally.
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But memories had voices.
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And some memories never stopped talking.
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A painful smile touched her lips.
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"We were happy."
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The realization hurt.
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Because happiness was easiest to appreciate after losing it.
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Arielle looked away.
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Then headed toward the library.
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Her sanctuary.
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Her hiding place.
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Her favorite place in all of Crestview.
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The moment she entered—
the familiar scent hit her.
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Books.
Paper.
Wood.
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Home.
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The word slipped through her mind before she could stop it.
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Home.
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Tears immediately stung her eyes.
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Because she had lost that too.
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The librarian looked up.
Recognition flashed instantly.
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"Arielle?"
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Arielle smiled softly.
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"Good morning."
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The older woman smiled.
A genuine smile.
Warm.
Kind.
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The first real kindness she'd received in days.
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And somehow—
that nearly broke her.
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Because when you're starving—
even crumbs feel like a feast.
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"Welcome back."
The librarian said.
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Simple words.
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Yet Arielle felt her throat tighten.
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"Thank you."
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The woman returned to her work.
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Arielle walked deeper into the library.
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Toward the large window.
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Toward her favorite seat.
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It was still there.
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Waiting.
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Like it had never left.
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Unlike everyone else.
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Arielle sat down.
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Then reached for a familiar book.
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Her fingers froze.
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No way.
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It was still there.
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The same worn copy.
The same faded cover.
The same dog-eared pages.
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The Last Letter Before Spring
by Claire Whitmore.
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Her favorite novel.
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Arielle smiled.
Genuinely smiled.
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For the first time in a very long time.
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Then she opened it.
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And began reading.
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Minutes passed.
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The world disappeared.
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The pain disappeared.
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The diagnosis disappeared.
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The hatred disappeared.
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For a little while—
she was just a girl reading a book.
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Just Arielle.
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Nothing more.
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Nothing less.
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Her eyes drifted to one particular sentence.
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"If I had one more year, I would spend it loving the people I was too afraid to love before."
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Arielle stared at the words.
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Then looked away.
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Because suddenly—
she couldn't read anymore.
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One year.
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The character wanted one year.
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Arielle would have begged for one year.
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She would have begged for ten months.
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Nine.
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Eight.
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Anything.
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Instead—
she got seven.
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A single tear rolled down her cheek.
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She quickly wiped it away.
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"Don't cry."
She whispered.
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The words sounded pathetic.
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Because crying wouldn't change anything.
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Nothing would.
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She looked toward the window.
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Students were beginning to arrive.
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Laughing.
Running.
Living.
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Making plans for next year.
For graduation.
For vacations.
For futures.
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Futures.
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Arielle swallowed hard.
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What an unfair word.
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A future was a luxury.
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And she no longer possessed one.
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She lowered her head.
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Suddenly exhausted.
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"What am I supposed to do with seven months?"
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The question escaped before she realized she'd spoken aloud.
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No answer came.
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Only silence.
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Arielle laughed weakly.
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Then another tear fell.
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Followed by another.
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And another.
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She quickly covered her face.
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Because she didn't want anyone to see.
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Didn't want anyone to know.
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Not her mother.
Not Isabella.
Not Elias.
Not Marco.
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And definitely not Lucien.
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Lucien.
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His name alone shattered whatever composure remained.
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Because despite everything—
despite the hatred—
despite the coldness—
despite the way he looked at her now—
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She still missed him.
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God.
She missed him.
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And that hurt more than the illness ever could.
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Because diseases killed bodies.
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But losing someone you loved?
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That killed pieces of your soul.
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The library doors suddenly opened.
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Arielle quickly wiped her tears.
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Straightened her posture.
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Forced a smile.
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Pretended.
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Just like she'd been pretending for years.
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She looked up.
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And immediately felt her stomach drop.
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Vivian.
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Sophia.
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Camille.
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Of course.
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Of course the peace couldn't last.
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Of course happiness had a time limit too.
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The three girls entered laughing.
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Then spotted her.
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And stopped.
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Vivian's smile slowly widened.
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Arielle's heart sank.
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Because she already knew.
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Whatever happened next—
wasn't going to be kind.
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And today—
for the first time since returning—
she wasn't sure she had enough strength left to endure it.
TBC🌺🌺🌺
- Writer
