Six Years Ago—Union High School.
The chatter in the classroom dulled as their homeroom teacher clapped his hands for attention.
"We have a new student joining us today," he announced, motioning toward the doorway.
A girl stepped in—ashy-blonde hair tied back with a ribbon. Ice-blue eyes, wide and downturned, peeked from behind oval glasses that slipped a little on her nose. Light freckles dusted her fair skin, so faint they were almost imagined.
"Hi. I'm Lilith Eleanor," she said, her voice barely carrying across the room.
Joanna didn't think much of it at the time, leaning back in her chair. "Why's anyone transferring mid-year?" She said it loud enough for the row in front to hear, grinning. "Haha, what'd you do—get bored of your old school?"
A few kids snickered. Lilith didn't answer. She just made her way to an empty desk near the back and sat down without a glance in Joanna's direction.
The teacher clapped again. "Alright, I hope you're all seated now. Let's get your assigned seats sorted, and then prepare for the upcoming science project. A few of you might be helping Lilith settle in over the next week—show her around, help her get caught up."
There was a murmur of half-hearted responses. Someone in the back asked if the seating chart was changing again, and the teacher sighed.
"Yes, and this time I don't want complaints. Pairing you up for the project will save me from hearing about how 'we didn't know what to do' until the last minute."
Lilith had already slid into a desk by the window, her posture folded inward, hands neatly folded on top of her notebook. Even when the girl in the next seat looked at her and smiled politely, she simply returned the smile without saying anything.
Joanna tuned the rest out, spinning her pen in lazy circles.
She didn't look back at the new girl again that day
Her real concern was whether the good pudding cups would still be there by the time she got there.
Weeks later, nothing had changed. Lilith still came in quietly, kept her head down, and spoke to no one unless directly called on. She'd claimed a desk by the window like it was her own little island, and most days, people left her there.
Today, though, the science project pairings were being announced. And the results would decide who was stuck together for the next month.
"Alright, listen up," the homeroom teacher said, flipping open a notebook. "Science project partners. These will stay the same until submission, so don't come crying to me later."
He began reading down the list. "Kendra and Matthew. Ravi and Zoe. Ethan and Connor…"
A few groans rose around the room.
"Laura and Ken. Devon and Saira. Joanna…" He paused just long enough for a few heads to turn. "…and Lilith."
Joanna blinked. She hadn't thought about the quiet transfer student in weeks—not until the teacher's voice dropped her name right next to her own.
Joanna raised her head. "Oh? Lilith's with me?"
"That's right," the teacher said, jotting something down. "You've been here the longest, Joanna. Figured you could help her get settled. Show her how things work around here."
Joanna just nodded once and let the tune pick up again, leaning back and tapping her pencil in rhythm against the desk.
By lunch break, Joanna had already decided she wasn't going to wait for Lilith to come to her. Weeks of sitting in silence had proved the girl wasn't about to start talking on her own.
Lilith sat alone at the far end of the cafeteria, head bent over her tray like she was trying to disappear into it. The chatter of the room barely touched her corner.
The sudden clack of a tray hitting the table made her look up. Joanna slid into the seat opposite without asking, stabbing her straw through the carton of milk.
"You're quiet," she said around the straw, like it was just an observation, not a complaint.
Lilith blinked once, still a little surprised, before glancing back at her food. "I… guess."
Joanna popped open her pudding cup and slid it towards Lilith. "Guess I'm sitting here, then."
Lilith hesitated, eyes flicking up at her. She couldn't quite figure it out—she hadn't smiled, hadn't even looked her way before, so why was Joanna suddenly talking to her?
Joanna set her fork down, her gaze steady. "The teacher told me to help you get settled. And…" she glanced around the cafeteria, "…it doesn't seem like anyone else is trying."
Lilith's fingers twitched slightly as she reached out and accepted the pudding cup, her voice low and uncertain. "Thanks…"
***
Months passed, and so did years.
During a quiet break in class, Lilith sat alone, absorbed in sketching.
Joanna spotted her from across the room and didn't hesitate.
She strode over, tugging the notebook gently away. "Come on, Lili. Let's take a break outside."
Lilith blinked, surprised, but didn't resist.
They made their way to the bench beneath a sprawling tree just outside the school building.
Joanna pulled a small box from her bag and grinned. "Here—happy 17th birthday, Lili."
Lilith carefully unwrapped it to reveal a pair of lavender headphones. Pretty and cool.
Her eyes shimmered with a sudden warmth, and she whispered, "Thanks..."
Joanna played it cool, nudging her shoulder. "You're the first one who'll hear all my music. Promise."
Lilith smiled faintly, the headphones cradled gently in her hands.
Lilith hesitated a moment, then looked up. "Are you going for music school?"
"Yeah," Joanna nodded. "Westridge, for composition. What about you?"
Lilith's eyes widened. "Me too."
They exchanged a surprised smile, the future suddenly feeling a little less unknown.
"So," Joanna said, a playful grin tugging at her lips, "do you want to move in together near Westridge? Makes it easier, you know."
Lilith bit her lip, uncertain. "I'm not sure about that yet."
Joanna shrugged. "I'm already saving up for an apartment. We could split it. It'd be fun—and practical."
Lilith's lips twitched in a faint, almost reluctant smile as she looked away for a moment. "You always have a plan, don't you?"
Joanna smiled back, her tone softer now. "Someone's got to."
***
Now, Lilith sat beneath the familiar shade of a tall tree in the campus garden. Lavender headphones on, listening to one of Joanna's latest compositions—a masterpiece playing softly in her ears.
Her pencil moved steadily across the sketchbook resting on her lap, tracing the delicate outline of a hand holding a guitar—one hand strumming near the soundhole, the other pressing fingers firmly against the frets of a sleek black acoustic.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves above, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow on her sketch.
Each detail—the silver rings on the fingers, the slight curve of the guitar, the glossy surface reflecting faint glimmers as the strings vibrated—came alive beneath Lilith's pencil.
But her mind wasn't really on the drawing. It drifted back to earlier moments: Joanna's nervous glance when Samuel appeared, the teasing from Damien and Isabelle, and the awkward silence that had settled between her and Joanna.
Why did you lie? The question echoed over and over in Lilith's thoughts.
The soft rustle of footsteps on the grass pulled Lilith's gaze up.
Joanna stood a few feet away, hands clasped behind her back, eyes darting everywhere but meeting hers.
"Lili… uh… about that…" Joanna's voice faltered, uncertain.
Lilith stayed still for a moment, then finally spoke, her voice low and tinged with sadness. "What was all that about? Bumping into people and… everything."
Joanna shifted uncomfortably, hands still clasped behind her back. "I didn't really think it through," she admitted quietly. "I just… ended up following Samuel's class a few times. I didn't mean to ignore you, Lili. I swear."
Lilith's gaze softened, but there was still a flicker of hurt. "You didn't say a word. I thought you were avoiding me."
Joanna swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know. And I feel awful about it. I wasn't trying to ghost you—it just happened, and then I didn't know how to say it."
Lilith nodded slowly, setting her pencil down. "I guess I get it. But you should've told me. We're supposed to be best friends."
Joanna held Lilith's gaze without flinching. "I know. I'm sorry. I just don't want to make this messier than it already is."
A quiet moment passed between them, the gentle rustle of leaves filling the space.
Lilith offered a small, forgiving smile. "Thanks for telling me now. That means a lot."
Joanna let out a short, amused huff. "You're too easy, Lili. Don't go being all 'forgiving best friend' on me. This isn't some cheesy drama."
Lilith laughed softly, the tension easing between them. "Well, maybe I'm just better at it than you."
Joanna smirked, brushing her hair back. "Maybe."
For a moment, they both stopped talking and grinned.
"So," Lilith said, flipping her sketchbook closed, "what now? Are you going to keep following Samuel's classes like a shadow?"
Joanna shook her head with a small, almost amused smile. "It's nothing like that, Lili. Samuel bumped into me a few weeks back—he's got some serious energy, you know?"
Lilith raised an eyebrow, her pencil hovering over the blank page. "Bumped into you? Like, literally?"
"Yeah, literally," Joanna said, shrugging. "I was just in the hallway, and there he was, barreling through like a storm. Totally unexpected."
Lilith gave her a teasing look. "Sounds like you're making excuses."
Joanna shook her head, smiling a little. "I wasn't. Guess he was confused about the classroom or something. Anyway, I just told him where it was—that was it."
Lilith's smile softened, but a flicker of hurt remained in her voice. "Then why did you disappear on me? It felt like you were avoiding me."
Joanna's gaze dropped for a moment, then met Lilith's steadily. "It's kind of a weird story. I accidentally saw Samuel dancing one day—just from outside the studio window."
Lilith blinked, surprised. "You did?"
Joanna nodded, a small, reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah. After that, I kept sneaking around the dance room whenever I could.
"You… you've been sneaking around the dance room?" She asked softly, her voice low.
"Yeah, it's not like I wanted to follow him or anything... but his dance moves felt like music, like they had their own rhythm and flow. It was kind of inspiring."
Lilith blinked at her, a small, puzzled smile forming. "You do realize that sounds a little strange, right?" she said gently. "But… I guess it's not the strangest thing you've done."
Joanna smirked faintly. "Yeah, yeah… laugh it up. I just got caught up in it, okay? Didn't know how to explain without sounding weird."
Lilith nodded slowly, the weight between them easing just a little. "Okay. I get it. But next time, just tell me. We don't have to keep things messy."
Joanna met her gaze firmly. "Deal."