The morning light filtered through the curtains. Elena Garcia woke up at her usual time, prepared breakfast, and packed lunch boxes for her children.

As she worked on the food, she looked at the empty seat where Bian usually sat. She glanced up at the clock and asked her other children, 

“Has Bian still not woken up?” 

“We don't know,” Vivian responded to her mother. Completing the final lunch box, Elena made her way to Bian's room.

Bian had never been late for breakfast; sometimes she even woke up before everyone.

“Is she feeling unwell?” 

Elena muttered to herself. When she reached Bian's room, she turned the doorknob. She stepped inside and started talking.

“Bian, wake up, or else you are going to be late for school.”

Elena assumed Bian was still asleep, but to her surprise, Bian was already almost ready for the day. She stepped closer and asked, 

“Are you alright? Why are you running late today?”

Bian slowly looked at her mother and replied, 

“I just overslept, Mom.” 

Elena observed her closely. She noticed Bian lacked the usual energy she had in the morning. 

"You look a bit tired. Did you not get any sleep today?” she asked Bian.

“I'm still sleepy, Mom.” 

Elena's gaze flickered over Bian's face once more before she turned to leave the room. 

Bian once again looked at the mirror. Her expression was unchanged as she examined her reflection. 

Everything appeared as it always did, yet when her gaze met her own eyes, she felt dissatisfied. She placed her hand on the mirror. 

“These things shouldn't be here. These aren't Bian's eyes." 

Her eyes were void of light or emotion.

Bian left her room and went down to the dining room. Her eyes were devoid of life as she surveyed her surroundings.

After she caught a glance at her siblings, a smile came to her lips—a smile full of guilt.

Without a word exchanged, she took her place at the table and began to eat her breakfast.

As soon as she sat on the bus, she closed her eyes, as if she were waiting for this moment.

                          **********

“Sis, wake up. Sis.” 

I was startled awake by a voice calling out to me. It felt like déjà vu, as if something like this had happened before. 

I blinked my eyes, looked outside, and was taken aback. 

“We are in front of the school!?” 

“Why are you saying it like you are supposed to be somewhere else?” 

A student smiled at my confused expression. I didn't say anything to her and got off the bus. 

My head was throbbing with a dull ache, so I leaned against the side of the school gate and pressed my head. 

Lost in a haze of bewilderment, I found myself in a cloud of confusion, my thoughts swirling like an off-track train within my mind. 

I remember that last night, the darkness didn't torment me in my dream. It was the first time I had a quiet dream in my house. 

"I also remember having a conversation with Mom earlier this morn.....”

A shiver trailed down my spine as I recalled that. My headache also increased.

“Ugh… This headache. But did I really speak with Mom?"

I'm starting to doubt my own memories.

“I did see her this morning, didn't I? What did we talk about?”

Fear seeped in, tightening its grip on the fragile threads of my memories.

A sudden touch on my head jolted me back to reality. When I looked up, I found Jia staring at me with a furrowed expression.

“What are you doing in the middle of the gate?”

Her voice was laced with anger and shattered all of my thoughts.

“Why are you so angry?”

I became perplexed by her behavior and asked her, but my question seemed to only stoke the flames of her anger.

“I asked you first. What are you doing?”

She started to speak furiously. I became flustered and attempted to cool her down, answering her as fast as possible.

“O… okay, let's calm down first. I was trying to remember if I had any conversations with my mom.”

“Why are you thinking of that here?” 

However, she asked me another question without allowing me a moment to collect my thoughts. 

“I… I... I just…” Her anger left me at a loss, and my voice was shuddering.

“Do you need to think about that now?” 

Now she doesn't even let me finish. I don't know what made her angry, but Jia becomes the scariest when she gets angry. 

It's futile to speak another word. Even thousands of words won't reach her now. So the safest option is to stay silent. 

“Why aren't you saying anything? Why the silence now?” 

Yet, it doesn't seem like she'll let me choose that; staying silent is now out of the question. 

I must be crazy thinking of stupid things out of nowhere. I mustered my courage and looked at her.

“I did have a conversation with my mom. I was just thinking about what we were tal… Nooo, I… I mean I wasn't thinking of anything.”

However, I hastily corrected myself after seeing her fiery expression.

Jia didn't say anything and signaled me to walk. I started walking without saying anything further.

“But seriously, what made her so angry?” I muttered to myself.

‘Away…

Listen…

Wai…’

After taking a few steps, I heard some buzzing sounds behind me. Just as I was about to glance back, Jia held my hand and guided me forward. I wanted to ask her if she had said something.

“Don't say anything. Just keep walking. We are going to be late for homeroom.”

But when I looked at her, she had a grim expression and firmly stopped me from saying anything.

As we arrived in front of our classroom, her voice softened considerably.

“Please go ahead. I'll come inside in a few moments.” 

She said gently before letting go of my hand. Observing her unusual display of intense emotions, I held back my words and walked into the classroom.

It's rare for Jia to show extreme emotions like this. She entered the classroom as I settled into my seat. 

Her expression looked much better, as if nothing had happened a few minutes ago.

I sighed and gazed out of the window.

                            **********

The weather carried a crisp chill, but it was not as cold as winter. 

Everything around was blooming with vibrant colors of flowers. The weather and even the scenery could lift anyone's spirits. 

With that energetic spirit, students were introducing themselves to each other. Some of them knew each other from their previous school. 

Their laughter and excitement made the whole surroundings more joyful. 

However, there was a girl who didn't even look at the other students; her gaze was fixed on the outside. 

A fellow student approached her and introduced herself. 

“Hi, I'm Ava Bennett, your seatmate.” 

The girl was unconcerned and didn't even bother to look at her seatmate. 

“Jianna Windward.” 

Her answer showed she had no interest in engaging further.

Feeling awkward, Ava turned to the student in the back seat. 

"Hello, I'm Ava Bennett," she greeted them with a gentle smile.

"Hello, I'm Bian Garcia." 

When I introduced myself, Jianna looked back and stared at me. I looked at her with a soft smile. 

However, she frowned and swiftly redirected her attention ahead. And thus, that was how Jianna and I first met each other.

[Bian Garcia]