Mia tossed her bag onto the couch and kicked off her shoes, humming softly under her breath. For the first time in weeks, she felt light—like the world had stopped spinning so fast. The way Henry asked her out after the rumor and how strong their relationship had been since then.
Dating him didn't feel real yet. But it felt right.
She made her way to the kitchen and poured a glass of water, smiling to herself. Her phone buzzed on the counter.
Henry: I wish we are still together.
Mia rolled her eyes, grinning as she typed back.
Mia: You saw me two hours ago.
Henry: Still too long.
She clutched the phone to her chest, shaking her head, her smile wide.
But then... the room shifted.
Not physically, but in the air. The light dimmed slightly, and the sound around her dulled, like everything had been pulled underwater.
The kitchen window's reflection suddenly shimmered.
Behind her.
She turned slowly.
Lily stood in the hallway.
Not dreamlike, not a whisper. it was solid.
Her long hair draped over her shoulder, her school uniform faded and worn. Her eyes, as always, were the first thing Mia noticed, deep, sad, and knowing.
Mia's smile vanished, this time Lily was not in a tattered dress but Allen high uniform. She was shocked, the last time she saw Lily was about an apparition that yanked backward probably it was Lily's.
"Lily..." she breathed, taking a step forward. "Why are you here?"
Lily's eyes flicked toward the phone in Mia's hand, then back to her.
"You're close to him," she said quietly. "Too close."
Mia's breath caught in her throat. "What do you mean?"
"You're holding the hand of someone who's holding back the truth," Lily said. Her voice was calm, but there was something sharp underneath. "You can feel it. Can't you?"
"I…no. Henry's different. He's not like the others."
Lily tilted her head. "But he is."
Mia felt something twist in her chest. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying..." Lily stepped forward, her image flickering just slightly as she neared the light. "The boy you love… he's my brother."
Silence crashed down.
Mia staggered back, her hand gripping the counter. "No. That's not…he told me…he said he was an only child." Mia said stuttering.
"He lied."
Mia's heart raced. "He doesn't know who you are. He couldn't have."
Lily's expression darkened, sorrow settling into every line of her face. "Oh, he knows. He just doesn't want to remember."
Then, Lily turned toward the hallway.
"Ask him about the day I disappeared," she said softly, before vanishing—like a breath exhaled too fast.
Mia stood frozen in the quiet house, her heart thundering in her chest.
Everything had just changed.
Mia sat on the school lawn during lunch, picking at the grass with unfocused fingers. Her mind was miles away—back at the counter in the kitchen as Lily's word kept echoing in her head. She felt a bit of resentment for Henry. She knew Henry lied the other time because she felt it but she never imagined such connection of Lily with Henry.
The sky was gray, heavy with the promise of rain.
She didn't even notice Elise approaching until her shadow fell over her.
"Mia," Elise said, voice steady, but her expression strained. "We need to talk. Now."
Mia blinked, startled by her tone. "What's wrong?"
"Library. Yesterday. I stayed late to study."
Mia sat up straighter. "Did something happen?"
Elise glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to hear, then sat beside her. "I saw her."
Mia's heart stopped.
"Lily," Elise whispered. "She was there. She spoke to me. Said my name like she knew me. Then she told me to help you."
Mia stared. "You're serious?"
Elise nodded, her face pale. "She led me to a book. Told me to turn to page 237. There was a note—Mia, it was her handwriting. Just like the journal you showed me. She's real. Or… something close to it."
Mia's breath came faster. "She's reaching out to you now?"
Elise leaned in. "And she's scared. I could feel it. She's not just haunting the house anymore. She's here. In the school. She said you needed help."
"I do," Mia admitted, her voice trembling. "More than I've let on."
Elise grabbed her hand. "Then stop shutting me out. We're in this together now. You're not crazy, Mia. And you're definitely not alone."
Mia felt a surge of relief—and fear.
"If she's getting stronger," she whispered, "then so is whatever she's warning us about."
They sat in silence for a long moment, the wind stirring around them.
For the first time, Mia didn't feel like the girl carrying secrets no one else believed.
She had an ally.
But somewhere in the shadows… Lily was still watching.
Henry had been watching her all day.
In class, in the hallways, even at lunch—where Mia had quietly excused herself before he could sit beside her. He knew something was wrong. She hadn't laughed at his dumb joke that morning. She hadn't texted him after school. Her smile had gone tight at the edges.
He wasn't used to Mia being distant. Not like this.
And he hated how much it rattled him.
Mia moved quickly through the hallway, clutching her books like armour. Her head buzzed with questions, the echo of Lily's voice still haunting her: *"He knows. He just doesn't want to remember."*
She hadn't told Henry. She couldn't. Not yet.
She didn't know what hurt more—the fact that he lied about having a sister, or the fact that he had looked her in the eyes, held her hand, kissed her, and pretended there was nothing he was hiding.
Even if it wasn't his fault… it still felt like betrayal.
"Mia."
She flinched, then stopped.
Henry was leaning against the stairwell rail, arms folded, brows furrowed.
"We need to talk."
She looked away. "I'm late for something."
"You have been late for something' all week," he said, stepping in front of her. "What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"Mia, don't do that." His voice softened. "Talk to me. Please."
She hesitated—every instinct screaming to tell him everything. About Lily. About the hallway. About the ache in her chest every time she thought of his face.
But then she remembered the silence. The way he said he was an only child. The way he let her believe that.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.
"I saw Carl and Eve the other day," she said suddenly, forcing her tone to stay casual. "They said some pretty awful things. I guess it got to me."
Henry frowned. "That's what this is about?, moreover I didn't know Carl had been released."
Mia nodded, lying through her teeth. "I've just been trying to stay under the radar."
He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes searching. "That's not all."
She shrugged. "It's enough."
There was silence between them again, thick with all the things she wasn't saying. She could tell he didn't believe her, he felt the lie but he didn't press. Maybe he didn't want to know.
"Okay," he finally said. "If you need space... I'll give it to you. But I'm not walking away."
Mia swallowed hard.
"I know," she whispered.
And then she walked away, her heart heavy, the truth burning just beneath her skin.
The Rivercliff house was nothing like the old one.
Where the Lashington home creaked with secrets and shadows, this place breathed with light. It sat on a hill, with wide windows that caught the morning sun and tall trees that danced in the wind. The walls were pale and bare for now but they held no memories, no whispers, no locked doors.
And for the first time in weeks, Mia felt like she could breathe.
Boxes were everywhere. Her mom hummed as she unpacked dishes in the kitchen. Mr. Harry was outside setting up the garden hose. The scent of freshly cut grass mixed with the sharp sweetness of cardboard tape.
Mia stood in her new bedroom, placing her books on a shelf.
That's when she heard the knock.
"Come in," she said, turning.
Mr. Harry stepped into the room, holding something close to his chest.
It was her diary.
The leather cover was worn from being handled too much. Her fingers twitched at the sight of it.
"I didn't return it to you after reading it," he said gently, walking over and offering it to her.
Mia took it, hugging it to her chest.
He didn't speak right away. Just stood there with a tired, regretful look.
"I wanted to read it again to find a way to protect you and should have returned it," he finally admitted. "I shouldn't have. I know that. I just… I was scared for you of what I didn't understand."
Mia looked at him. "You lied to me."
"I know," he said. "I thought I was protecting you. But I see now… I was just afraid. Afraid you were slipping away into a world I couldn't follow."
Mia sat down on the edge of her bed.
"Did you know Lily seems real?" she asked softly.
Mr. Harry sat beside her, the mattress shifting.
"I knew something was wrong in that house. I saw things. I heard your voice at night when you weren't speaking. And sometimes… the door opened by itself. But I convinced myself it was just the past. Something old that didn't matter anymore."
Mia turned to him, her eyes calm but clear.
"She matters. Even if she's not here the way we are."
He nodded slowly. "You're right."
There was a long pause between them.
Then Mr. Harry looked at her with a softness she hadn't seen in a while.
"I'm proud of you," he said. "Even if I don't always understand you."
Mia leaned her head on his shoulder. "I missed this."
"So did I."
Downstairs, Mrs. Larry called, "Dinner's ready!"
They came down together, smiling, really smiling for the first time in months.
That night, they ate by candlelight, still surrounded by boxes. Mia made a silly joke about her mom's lumpy mashed potatoes, and Mr. Harry pretended to cry about forgetting where the forks were packed. Laughter came easy. No tension, no lies.
Just family.
And when Mia went back to her room, she opened the diary again—not out of fear, but with peace.
On the final page, something new had appeared.
Words written in Lily's careful handwriting.
"Thank you for remembering me."
Mia smiled.
And whispered to the room, "You're welcome."