---
The surreal feeling clung to Elsa like a second skin. She had been so sure it was all an impossibly vivid dream, but this… this was a detail her subconscious couldn't possibly fabricate. Why on earth would her boss appear in a dream, and as a teenager no less? Unless… a thought, absurd and embarrassing, flickered in her mind: Unless I'm secretly in love with him and now my brain is conjuring his younger self. The sheer ridiculousness of it made a low, disbelieving laugh escape her lips.
Liam began laughing with her, a warm, easy sound.
Hearing him join in, Elsa immediately cut her own laugh short, her expression shifting back to one of stunned seriousness. She took a slow, hesitant step toward him, her eyes scanning his face. Another wave of recognition, colder and more certain this time, hit her.
"No way... Mr. Liam?" she breathed.
Liam gave her a confused look, then scoffed playfully. "Mr?" He shook his head. "That's offensive. We're probably age mates, or maybe I'm a year older. Do I really look that old to you?"
A flood of questions crashed through Elsa's mind, a chaotic riptide of confusion. If I'm truly in a time slip and this is my past… Did Mr. Liam attend my high school? Why don't I remember him? Why am I just noticing him now? I can swear we never crossed paths back then. So how come…?
Liam interrupted her spiraling thoughts. He sighed heavily, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Anyway, you still look unwell. You should rest here a bit longer," he said, his eyes soft with genuine concern.
Elsa snapped out of her trance, her gaze still locked on him. "Since when have you been attending this school? Did you start here from your junior year?" she asked, curiosity spilling from her voice, too urgent to contain.
Liam chuckled lightly, a charming, lopsided grin appearing. "Of course I did. Why are you acting like this is breaking news? Do you know me from somewhere else?"
Elsa's eyes widened. No way... No way! How did I miss this? How didn't I notice him back then? What else did I completely overlook?
Liam tilted his head, his teasing tone returning. "See? You're definitely still not well. That ball probably scrambled your brain a bit. Just wait for the nurse, alright?"
Elsa eyed him and managed a small, defiant grin. "I said I'm perfectly fine."
He folded his arms, a mock-stern expression on his face. "I beg to differ. You're asking questions like I just transferred in yesterday."
Elsa cut him off, her tone shifting to something more urgent and serious. "Anyway, I don't have time to figure you out right now. I'll get to that later. But for now... you said you know Mira, right?"
Liam nodded.
"Oh, yeah. She's the one who brought you here with me. She had to run to the teacher's office to explain what happened and asked me to wait with you until she got back. Why?"
Before he could finish his sentence, Elsa spun on her heel and dashed out of the clinic, leaving him standing there.
"She's so weird..." Liam muttered to the empty room, watching the door swing shut behind her.
Elsa's heart hammered against her ribs as she sprinted toward the teacher's office. Please, please let her be there. Even if this is a dream... I don't want to wake up yet.
She flung open the door to the teacher's office. Mrs. Tara Dean, her homeroom teacher, looked up from her desk immediately, her glasses perched on the end of her nose. "Elsa? I heard you were rushed to the clinic. Are you okay? Did you run all the way down here?"
Elsa panted, trying to catch her breath. Seeing Mrs. Tara again, present, her face etched with familiar lines of concern, overwhelmed her with a warmth she hadn't felt in years. "Mrs. Tara..." she whispered, a soft, trembling smile gracing her lips.
Mrs. Tara walked over to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "How are you feeling, dear? That was quite a knock you took."
Tears welled up in Elsa's eyes as she impulsively stepped forward and hugged her teacher, burying her face in her shoulder. Mrs. Tara, surprised, chuckled gently and hugged her back, patting her shoulder.
"Uhm... Elsa? Are you sure you're fine? You're not usually this... affectionate before a pop quiz."
Elsa pulled back, wiping her eyes and nodding, her smile returning.
"I'm okay, ma'am. Really. Just... glad to see you."
"Alright then," Mrs. Tara said, still looking a little bemused. "Mira said she was coming back to you. Did you two cross paths?"
Elsa had forgotten for a second why she came. "Oh! Yes! Thank you!" she exclaimed and rushed off again, leaving a very confused teacher in her wake.
She rushed back toward the clinic. Almost there, she saw Mirabel stepping out, scanning the hallway. Mira noticed her from afar and stopped in her tracks, planting her hands on her hips with a heavy, exasperated sigh.
"Hey, Els! You don't listen, do you?!" Mira yelled scoldingly from down the hall. "You can't just dash off like that without being cleared by the nurse!"
Elsa stood there, rooted to the spot. The person she had missed for years, whose memory was a constant, aching presence, was not only speaking but breathing, frowning, and scolding her right in front of her. At that moment, the last vestiges of doubt evaporated. This wasn't a dream. It was real, vibrantly, terrifyingly real, and it was happening right now.
A sob broke from Elsa's chest, and then she was running, tears spilling freely from her eyes. She immediately lunged at Mira, crashing into a tight, desperate embrace that made Mira twitch in surprise.
"Hey....what's wrong? You okay? Why the sudden hug?" Mirabel asked, her voice softening from scolding to concern as she awkwardly patted Elsa's back.
Elsa began sobbing uncontrollably, holding her so tight it was as if she feared Mira would turn to dust if she let go.
Mira's smile immediately faded when she heard the raw pain in Elsa's cries. "Hey, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" she questioned, her tone now laced with real worry.
"I missed you," Elsa said between heaving sobs, the words muffled against Mira's shoulder.
Mira was still surprised, her body stiff with confusion. "We saw each other yesterday. Are you sure something else isn't wrong?" She tried to pull away to get a look at Elsa's face, but Elsa held on with surprising strength.
"Just a moment," Elsa pleaded, her voice thick with tears. "Let me...let's just stay like this for a while."
Mira, now deeply concerned but sensing her friend's profound need, relented. She couldn't deny that she loved the closeness anyway. She softened into the hug, patting Elsa's back softly. "It's okay," she murmured soothingly. "We'll have you checked later by the nurse when she's back, just in case you're feeling any pain somewhere you're not telling me about."
At that very moment, as Elsa cried in the solid, real arms of her best friend, it felt as if a weight she had been carrying for years, a weight of grief, guilt, and loneliness, was finally beginning to lift from her shoulders. For the first time in years, that moment was the only moment she felt truly, completely alive. If this was a time slip, Elsa wished over and over with every fiber of her being that the whole world would just stop, leaving her and Mira frozen in this embrace forever.
After a long while of heavy, cathartic crying, Elsa's sobs subsided into sniffles. They went back into the clinic and sat together on one of the beds. Mira, with a tenderness born of long friendship, wiped Elsa's tears away with her thumb. Then, like she always did, she pulled a tissue from the box beside the bed and held it up to Elsa's nose.
"Blow," she said, her voice gentle but firm, just like always.
Elsa laughed through her residual tears and did as she was told, the mundane act feeling like a sacred ritual.
Mira tucked a stray strand of Elsa's hair behind her ear, her brow furrowed. "Are you sure you're okay? That was... a lot of tears for a bump on the head."
Elsa forced a wobbly smile, holding back a fresh wave. "I'm okay, Mirabel. Just… leftover shock from the ball incident, I guess. I promise, I'm fine."
Mira didn't look convinced. She folded her arms, ready to launch into a familiar nag. "You see, that's why I have always told you to be more careful! I know it's not your fault you got hit, but you should have at least waited for the nurse before dashing out like that! What if you had collapsed again on the way?!" she scolded, her voice rising with each word in a well-practiced rhythm of worry.
Elsa couldn't help but let out a shaky laugh as a few more tears escaped. She hadn't been lectured with such loving exasperation in years. It was the final, comforting confirmation that this was all breathtakingly real.
Mira frowned playfully. "Uhhh...you are laughing? I'm not joking, Els!"
Elsa laughed again, a clearer, happier sound this time, and took Mira's hands in her own. "I'm really, really okay, I promise. And I'm not crying because I'm hurting anywhere. I'm fine, I swear," she assured her, squeezing her hands.
Mira's voice switched to a softer, more concerned tone. "So what's wrong, then? We spoke last night and you were perfectly fine. Did something happen on your way to school?"
Elsa shook her head immediately. "Noo...it's nothing like that, believe me. I'm just... happy." It was a weak explanation, but it was all she had.
Mira sighed heavily, searching her friend's face before finally nodding in reluctant acceptance. "Okay then, if you say so." She changed the subject. "Also, Susan sends her greetings. She couldn't come 'cause she had some urgent student council thing to take care of."
Elsa smiled thoughtfully and nodded, the normalcy of it all feeling like a gift.
As they were still talking, the door to the clinic flung open aggressively, making both of them flinch. Susan came running in, skidding to a stop before them, panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath.
"Hey, hey, hey! Are you okay now? I heard you collapsed!" Susan said, dropping into a chair opposite them, her face flushed with panic.
Elsa nodded, touched by her concern. "Hmm, I'm okay now. Just a little dizzy spell."
Susan heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief, fanning herself with her hand. "Thank goodness! Don't scare us like that!"
They chatted for a bit until the school nurse finally returned. She checked Elsa's pupils, asked her a few questions, and pronounced her well enough to leave, prescribing rest and plenty of water. Mirabel insisted she go home immediately, but Elsa was adamant, claiming she felt perfectly fine. After a brief, familiar argument, the trio headed off to class.
In class, Elsa couldn't focus. Her eyes kept drifting to Mira, her heart so full it felt like it might burst. Sitting beside her again, hearing her whisper, feeling her nudge, it was all so profoundly unreal.
"Elsa! Elsa!"
The teacher's voice snapped her out of her reverie. Mira discreetly poked her arm. Everyone was staring.
"Would you like to tell the class one of the key characteristics of seedless plants, like ferns?" the teacher asked, one eyebrow raised.
Elsa froze, her mind blank. God, it's been years since I even thought about biology…
Mira quickly scribbled an answer on the corner of her notebook and subtly angled it toward Elsa.
"Um…" Elsa said, squinting at the hasty writing. "They are vascular plants but reproduce using spores, and are mostly found in wet, moist areas?" she said cautiously, hoping she'd read it right.
The teacher raised a brow, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Mira, I know you just fed her that answer." Mira looked away,trying and failing to look innocent.
"Elsa, bring your mind back from wherever it's vacationing and focus, please," the teacher scolded lightly before moving on.
Elsa nodded sheepishly. She and Mira exchanged a silent, conspiratorial giggle, and the familiar joy of it made Elsa's chest ache.
The lecture dragged on for what felt like an eternity to Elsa, every minute a precious, stolen thing. Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.
"Mira?" Elsa asked as they packed their bags.
"Hmm?" Mira replied, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
"You are headed home immediately, right?"
Mira paused and stared at her, a look of pure bafflement on her face. "Okay, you're definitely acting weird again. I thought we already made plans for after school today?"
To Elsa, it had been years. The specific details of a single day in high school were long forgotten. Elsa laughed nervously, scrambling for an excuse. "Of course I know, I just thought you might want to stop by your tutorial lessons or something first."
Mira's brow furrowed in genuine confusion. "Umm.....I definitely told you I quit those weeks ago because my grades weren't improving anyway. Remember? We celebrated with ice cream."
Elsa bit her lip, her mind racing. "Yeah, you did. Sorry, I almost forgot. It's been a weird day."
Mira still looked suspicious, her head tilted. "Elsa, did you forget what today is?" Elsa blinked,her mind searching the foggy archives of her past. "Uhh... ??"
"Girl!" Mira exclaimed, her face breaking into an excited grin. "The Eclipse concert! You've been hyped about it for weeks! We've been counting down!"
Elsa gasped internally. Oh my God. The concert! May 6, 2019. I completely forgot. She remembered now. She had saved up for months to buy the tickets herself. Mira had offered to buy them, but Elsa had been proud and insisted on paying her own way.
"No, no, no! I didn't forget!" Elsa recovered quickly, looping her arm through Mira's and smiling brightly. "I was just messing with you! Of course we're still going!"
Mira laughed, the suspicion melting away into excitement. "That's more like it. I thought you'd started stanning another boy band behind my back."
They took the bus home, chatting and laughing about the band, their classmates, and the upcoming concert. The normalcy of it was intoxicating. Mira waved goodbye at her stop, saying she'd meet Elsa at her house later so they could head to the venue together.
When Elsa stepped inside her house, she saw her father sitting in his favorite armchair, reading the newspaper. She paused in the doorway,her breath catching. Tears filled her eyes again. After Mira died, I shut him out completely... I was such a fool.
"Hey... you're home," he said, looking up over his reading glasses, a warm smile on his face.
Elsa didn't hesitate. She dropped her bag and ran into his arms, sobbing softly into his shirt. "I missed you so much, Papa."
"Huh? I wasn't even gone for a whole day!" he laughed, a little surprised, but he hugged her back tightly, his familiar scent of aftershave and old books enveloping her.
Her mom walked in from the kitchen with a plate of sliced apples. "What's going on in here?"
"No idea," her dad whispered conspiratorially, still holding Elsa.
Her mom placed a sweet, cold apple slice in Elsa's mouth. "Here you go, sweetheart. You're not a baby anymore, crying because your dad went to work?" she teased gently.
Elsa chewed the apple, smiling softly through her tears. "I'm still your baby, though."
"Always," her dad said, kissing the top of her head.
After a few more moments of basking in their presence, Elsa headed to her room. She sat before her mirror, her thoughts spinning like a tornado.
How did I get here? All she could remember from her previous night was getting home after a dinner...but the details were fuzzy. Was it dinner with Mr. Liam? Why is he even in my past? She couldn't remember the phone call that had started it all; that memory was a dark, blank spot.
She didn't know how or why this was happening. But one thing was crystal clear: this was her only opportunity to correct her past mistakes and, most importantly, to save her friend.
For the concert, Elsa chose a simple tank top with a flowy, flower-patterned skirt—a far cry from her usual dark, minimalist style. She sat in front of her mirror and, for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, let her hair down completely—something her younger self never did.
Elsa had always been stunning, even as a teenager. She possessed a natural, effortless beauty that often left people doing a double-take. Her face was a perfect oval, framed by a waterfall of long, black hair that was so silky and smooth it looked like spun obsidian. It was her most striking feature, though her younger self had always hated the attention it drew. She wasn't too tall, with a petite frame that was both graceful and strong. Her skin was flawlessly clear, with a natural warmth to it that made her glow. But the true highlight was her figure, perfectly proportioned and well-defined, with curves in all the right places. People had always told her she could have been a model, a notion she'd always brushed off. Her most captivating feature, however, were her eyes, large, almond-shaped, and a deep, soulful brown that could express a thousand words without saying a single one. They gave her face a lethal, captivating quality, a depth that was far beyond her years.
As beautiful as Elsa was, she had always felt she couldn't stand a chance next to Mira. Mira was the very definition of an angel who had fallen to earth. Her beauty was so ethereal and precise that people often assumed it was the work of surgery or doubted she was real. Her hair was a cascade of golden honey-blonde waves, her eyes a clear, sparkling blue that seemed to hold the entire sky within them. Her features were perfectly symmetrical, from her delicate nose to her full, bow-shaped lips that seemed permanently curved into a gentle smile. Her body was equally breathtaking, a statuesque, hourglass figure that was both athletic and soft. And her skin was luminous, so clear and porcelain-perfect it was almost blinding, often making her seem like she was lit from within.
Elsa began applying a light touch of makeup, mascara to highlight her lashes, a hint of gloss, another unusual act for her teenage self. Normally, she would have aggressively packed all that beautiful hair into a tight bun, but now she let it flow freely down her back. She had made up her mind to appreciate her own beauty, especially the hair she had once despised.
When she was done, she opened her drawer, picked up the two precious concert tickets, and grabbed her bag. She looked at herself in the mirror, this younger, brighter version of herself, and smiled with a newfound determination as she stormed out of her room.
Her father let out a low whistle as he looked at her from head to toe, putting his paper down. "Who exactly are you? And where is my daughter? Because the Elsa I know doesn't wear makeup or let that magnificent waterfall of hair flow down. She usually hides it like a state secret."
Elsa rolled her eyes playfully and did a little spin with a small, confident grin. "Well, get used to it, Papa. Maybe I decided to level up a bit today."
Her mom walked over and gently adjusted a stray strand of Elsa's hair behind her ear, her eyes soft. "You look beautiful, honey."
Elsa smiled, biting her lip to hold back another sudden wave of tears. Her heart swelled with love and guilt all over again. How did I ever let myself push these amazing people away?
Her dad stood up and clapped dramatically. "Now, go and break some hearts, but just not your own, okay?"
Elsa laughed, the sound light and free. "I'll be fine. Mira's with me, remember?"
As if on cue, the doorbell rang. "That must be her!" Elsa said, quickly grabbing her bag. Her mom handed her a bottle of water and a tiny canister of pepper spray from the shelf by the door.
"Just in case. I know there'll be a big crowd," she said with a knowing, slightly worried smile.
Elsa chuckled, taking it. "Thanks, mom. Love you both!"
"Be safe!" they both called out in unison as she stepped out into the evening air.
Elsa got outside and saw Mira waiting for her on the porch step. Mira gasped immediately,her hand flying to her mouth. "Woah... who exactly are you? Did you kidnap my best friend and steal her clothes?" Mira said, her eyes wide with teasing admiration.
Elsa laughed softly, a little self-conscious. "Do I look that different?"
Mira walked towards her, circling her playfully. "Girl, you look incredible! I mean, you always look pretty, but today is just... different. You look so confident. And your hair!" she reached out and touched the ends. "You finally let it down! I love it!"
"Well, I want to start appreciating it more," Elsa said, running her own fingers through the silky strands.
Mira smiled widely as she locked her arms with Elsa. "That's the spirit, girl! I'm loving this new youuuu!" Mira said, her voice singsong with excitement.
They both laughed, the sound echoing in the quiet street, and walked towards the bus stop, their arms linked. Elsa tried to absorb every single detail, the way the orange hue of the setting sun painted the sky, the sound of their footsteps on the pavement, the melodic sound of Mira's laughter, the familiar scent of blooming jasmine on the evening breeze. This was a memory she'd buried deep under layers of grief, one she never, ever thought she'd get to live again.
They took a cab downtown, chatting and laughing the whole way. Elsa was actively trying to relive every moment, to commit it all to memory a second time.
They finally arrived at the venue, and the crowd was already building, a pulsing, energetic beast. Teenagers buzzed with palpable excitement, their faces painted with band logos, hands filled with glowing bracelets and homemade banners declaring their love for Eclipse. The air itself thrummed with anticipation and the bass from the soundcheck inside. The arena was a massive, modern structure of steel and glass, with bright lights scanning the sky and lines of eager fans snaking around the block.
They were both instantly caught up in the excitement. The place was flooded with people; at a bustling corner, official merch booths were selling everything from T-shirts to lightsticks bearing the faces of the Eclipse boys.
Elsa looked around, and everything felt intensely nostalgic, as she had already experienced it before, but the thrill was no less potent. She was excited to relive it.
They pushed through the good-natured crowd, waved their tickets under the scanner, and soon found themselves in the front section, close to the stage. The house lights dimmed. A collective scream rose from thousands of throats.
Elsa gripped Mira's hand tightly as the first explosive beat dropped and the four members of Eclipse ran onto the stage, silhouetted against a blaze of pyrotechnics. The crowd erupted into a deafening roar.
For that one night, Elsa wasn't the woman who had been tragically sent back from the future. She wasn't burdened by grief, guilt, or the terrifying weight of fate.
She was just Elsa. Seventeen again. Standing beside her best friend. Singing their hearts out until their voices were raw. Laughing. Living.
And somewhere deep inside, she made herself a promise, a vow etched into her very soul—
This time, I will protect her. No matter what it takes.
---
Elsa had never been happier. The joy she felt was so profound, so complete, that she never wanted this night with Mira to end.
Soon, the final encore ended, and the house lights came up. The spell was broken, and everyone began the slow, happy shuffle toward the exits. They finally stepped out into the cool night air,the buzz of the concert still humming in their veins.
Elsa smiled widely, feeling utterly fulfilled. "That was peak!" she yelled over the lingering noise of the crowd.
They both laughed, their ears still ringing.
Mira started patting down her pockets, a frown creasing her forehead. "What's wrong? Did you lose something?" Elsa asked curiously.
"Yes," Mira said, her voice tinged with annoyance. "I think I left my phone in the bathroom stall when I went right before the last song. Let me run back and get it."
Just then, a memory slammed into Elsa's mind with the force of a physical blow, a stark, terrifying déjà vu. In the first timeline, when Mira went back for her phone, she was rushing down the stairs in the dark, crowded hallway. She tripped, fell, and sprained her ankle so badly she was hospitalized for a week.
Immediately, Elsa gasped and quickly grabbed Mira's hand, pulling her back. "Don't go in there," she said, her voice low and pleading.
Mira looked at her hand, then back at Elsa's suddenly serious face. She let out an awkward, confused laugh. "What are you doing? It's not a big deal. I'll be back in two minutes."
Elsa held on tighter, her grip firm. "No! You can't go in there!" she said, her voice rising with a panic she couldn't suppress.
"Okay, now you are acting seriously weird," Mira said, her own annoyance growing. She tried to gently pry her hand away. "Why don't you want me to go get my phone? I'll be right back; you don't need to follow me."
Elsa said, her voice tight with frustration, "Mira, it's just a cellphone. You have the money to buy ten new ones tomorrow. Can't you just let this one go?"
Mira's face flushed with anger, and she yanked her hand away from Elsa's grasp. "What is wrong with you?! Why are you acting this way? You are beginning to really creep me out. So because I have money, I should just abandon my phone, with all my info and everything on it, when it's right in there and I can easily get it?" she yelled back, her eyes flashing.
Elsa saw the genuine anger and hurt on Mira's face and realized she had gone too far. She took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm her own racing heart. As long as she doesn't go, the accident won't happen, she thought desperately.
"I'm sorry," Elsa said, forcing her voice into a calmer, more reasonable tone. "I didn't mean to raise my voice. I'm just... on edge from the crowd."
Mira sighed heavily, some of the anger dissipating. "It's fine. You don't need to apologize. Just don't be so strange." She looked toward the venue doors.
Elsa saw her intention and jumped in. "Let me go get it for you. You wait here for me. You left it in the bathroom, right?" Mira nodded,still looking a little wary. "Yes, the last stall. But why would you want to go? How would you even know which one? Let's just go together."
Elsa stuttered, her mind racing for an excuse. "A-rmm... you just look really worn out. It was my idea to come here anyway, so let me do this for you. Just stay here, please."
Mira wasn't fully convinced, but she finally relented with a shrug. "Okay then, fine. I'll be waiting right here by this lamp post." Elsa didn't wait another second.She sprinted off immediately and back into the now-emptying arena.
She found the correct bathroom, and after a quick search of the last stall, found the phone perched on the back of the toilet tank. She sighed in profound relief as she grabbed it, her mission accomplished. She hurried back outside and walked to where Mira was still standing,leaning against the lamp post.
"Here you go," she said, placing the phone securely in Mira's hands.
Mira smiled softly, her earlier irritation gone. "Thank you. Satisfied now, my personal bodyguard?" Elsa nodded,a wide, relieved smile spreading across her face. "Yes. Now let's go home."
After a short walk, they got to the bus stop and caught the next bus home. On the way, Elsa couldn't help but feel a surge of triumphant relief. She had done it. She had prevented the first accident.
Mira crashed at Elsa's home that night. They were both utterly worn out, their voices hoarse from screaming and cheering. To Elsa, the Eclipse boys had been her first true love; she had fangirled over them so intensely that even after all these years, she still remembered every lyric, every dance move, every silly fact about them.
After a warm, happy dinner with Elsa's family—filled with laughter and her parents asking about the concert—the two girls headed to Elsa's room. They chatted for a while about their favorite moments from the show before finally heading for a quick shower.As usual, Mira rummaged through Elsa's drawer for something to sleep in. Mira was, without a doubt, "rich, rich," but for some reason, she absolutely loved wearing Elsa's clothes. Elsa would always rant and yap about how annoying it was because they were now basically sharing her entire wardrobe, but she never really meant it.
They finally settled into bed, the day's excitement finally giving way to exhaustion.
The lights were off, but the room was faintly illuminated by the silvery moon spilling through the gaps in the curtains. Mira was curled up beside Elsa, wrapped in a blanket with little stars on it. The soft, rhythmic sound of her breathing filled the quiet room.
Elsa lay on her back, staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars on her ceiling, her heart feeling incredibly full and achingly vulnerable.
"You still awake?" Mira's voice came, soft as a whisper in the dark.
"Mmmhmm," Elsa murmured.
A comfortable beat of silence passed.
Mira was quiet for a while, then added, her voice thoughtful, "Sometimes I just wish I could see through you, just like you always can with me. You always know when I'm hurting without me even saying a word."
Elsa turned to face her, even in the dark she could make out Mira's profile. "Why do you say that?" she asked softly.
Mira shrugged, the movement a faint rustle of sheets. "I don't know. I just feel like sometimes I don't pay enough attention. I'm always so wrapped up in my own stuff, being nonchalant, that I'm scared I miss it when you're hurting."
Elsa went silent for a moment, her throat tightening. "This morning,"Mira continued, "even though you kept telling me you were fine, I just couldn't shake the feeling that something else was really wrong because of how you were crying and acting. I should have pushed more."
Elsa was still silent, a war raging inside her. Should I tell her? Would she even believe me? How could I possibly make her believe that she's going to die soon? The thought was too horrific to voice.
Elsa forced a thoughtful smile, though Mira couldn't see it. "You don't need to see through me, Mira. I would always run to you first if I'm ever hurting, okay? And I expect you to do the same thing."
Mira gave a sleepy chuckle then nodded against her pillow. "Deal."
Elsa felt a lump rise in her throat. "I'm honestly fine, Mira," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
"You sure?" Mira turned onto her back, facing the ceiling. Her hand brushed the air. "You were always the one with the plans, you know. Remember when we were ten and you made us that emergency apocalypse kit?"
"We had glow sticks, Capri Suns, and a packet of gummy worms," Elsa smiled, her eyes glistening in the dark. "It wasn't exactly survival-grade."
"God, we were so stupid back then," Mira chuckled, the sound warm in the darkness. "I can't believe we actually fed our first pet, Lacey the puppy, chocolate brownies because we thought they were healthy. Remember?"
"Of course, how could I ever forget?" Elsa's smile was bittersweet. "We cried for a week straight and buried her in the backyard with a little cross made of popsicle sticks." They both exchanged a glance in the dim light and laughed softly,the shared memory a tender knot binding them together.
Mira stretched her arms up, her hand brushing the air. "Lately, I've been having these weird feelings," she confessed, her voice losing its playful edge.
Elsa's brow furrowed. "What kind of feelings?" Mira let her hand fall back to the bed with a soft huff."Just this sudden, random rush of sadness. Like I'm hurting, but I have no idea what's making me sad. It just... comes out of nowhere."
Elsa stared at her, frozen. She swallowed hard, a cold dread trickling down her spine. "Hey," she said, her voice carefully neutral. "Sometimes we get this feeling when something big is about to change. We'll be graduating soon... it's pretty overwhelming for everyone. It will only get better, okay?" The lie felt heavy on her tongue.
Mira took Elsa's hand and gave it a squeeze, then nodded. "Hmm, you're probably right." Then she smiled,and her eyes fluttered closed, her breathing soon evening out into the steady rhythm of sleep.
Elsa's eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at her sleeping friend for a long, long time. Then, slowly, she closed her own eyes and surrendered to an exhausted sleep.
---
The next morning:
Elsa woke up before Mira. She smiled softly as she watched her best friend still deep asleep, peaceful and serene. She got up quietly, careful not to wake her, and walked to the kitchen, where her mom was already humming and making breakfast.
"Good morning, mom," Elsa said as she walked in.
Lauryl smiled widely. "Morning, angel. Did you sleep well? You girls were quite exhausted last night."
Elsa nodded, leaning against the counter. "Yes, I slept like a rock." Lauryl nodded toward the bedroom."Mira still out?"
Elsa nodded. "Yeah, I didn't want to disturb her. She was even more exhausted than I was."
After a while, the sound of shuffling feet announced Mira's arrival. She emerged from the room, yawning widely and stretching her arms high above her head. She blinked sleepily as she walked into the kitchen, her eyes meeting Lauryl and Elsa having a quiet chitchat while Lauryl scrambled eggs.
Mira walked in quietly, a small smile on her face. "Good morning, Lauryl," she said to Elsa's mom as she slid onto a stool beside Elsa at the breakfast bar.
Elsa's mom smiled widely. "Good morning, sunshine. Did you sleep well?"
Mira smiled and nodded, accepting the slice of apple Elsa offered her. "I sure did. That bed is magic."
The two girls sat munching on apple slices while they waited for the main breakfast to be ready. "Elsa,can you come and assist me here for a second? I need you to pour this hot water from the kettle into the teacups," Elsa's mom called from the stove.
Elsa sighed good-naturedly and was about to get up. Mira stopped her with a hand on her arm."Let me do it," she said, hopping off the stool.
"You assisted with dinner last night; it's my turn." She headed to the kitchen.
Elsa nodded and smiled. "Okay, thanks."
Mira picked up the electric kettle. It was heavier than she expected, full to the brim with boiling water. As she was carefully tilting it to pour the steaming water into the first delicate teacup, her grip slipped slightly. The scalding water sloshed over the rim, splashing directly onto her wrist.
Mira screamed, a sharp, pained sound, and dropped the kettle into the sink with a loud clatter.
Lauryl turned immediately, her eyes wide. She pulled off her oven mitt and grabbed Mira's arm, gently but firmly guiding it under the cool stream of water from the tap. "Oh my God, Mira! Are you okay, honey?" she said, her voice tight with alarm.
Elsa was out of her seat in a flash, running into the kitchen. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Mira! Are you okay?" she exclaimed, her heart pounding.
Mira just winced, biting her lip hard to keep from crying out again. Tears of pain welled in her eyes. The skin on her wrist was already an angry, blotchy red, starting to swell.
And at that moment, a cold, terrifying thought dropped into Elsa's mind, freezing her from the inside out.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
She stared at Mira's bruised, scalded wrist, her blood running cold. Elsa couldn't remember every single detail from the past, but the major events, especially every little thing that had ever happened to Mira, were etched into her memory with painful clarity. This accident had never occurred. It wasn't part of the timeline.
So where did it all go wrong? Had her interference already started to change things? And if so, was it changing for the better, or was it spiraling into something far, far worse?
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