In the quiet library, I sat tucked away in a corner, the faint scent of old paper hanging in the air, Murder on the Orient Express open in my hands. My eyes followed the words, but my mind drifted- until the soft click of the door broke the stillness.
Emilia stepped in, her usual bright energy seeming to warm the dim afternoon light. She spotted me instantly and came over, a spark of excitement dancing in her eyes.
She started talking about the meeting- how well it went, how ideas flowed, how the whole room buzzed with energy and teamwork. Her voice carried that warmth she always had, the kind that made everything sound just a little more hopeful.
I listened quietly, nodding at the right moments, though part of me longed. The way she spoke- so full of passion, made me wish I'd been there too. To be part of something like that. To feel connected again.
But the past still lingered- heavy, unshakable like a shadow I couldn't step out of. I wanted to move on, I really did, but I didn't know how.
Still, as Emilia talked, something flickered inside me- a tiny spark of curiosity. Maybe this competition could be more than just an event.
Maybe it could be a beginning.
Emilia glanced at my book, then back at me.
"Still on mysteries?" she asked with a grin. "You've been on quite a detective streak lately."
I smiled faintly. "They're easy to get lost in."
"Hmm," she said, leaning against the table. "Then maybe you'd like to help us solve the mystery of how to make the competition fun. We could use another sharp mind. You can come to my house today."
Her tone was teasing, but beneath it, the invitation felt real.
I hesitated, fingers tightening slightly around my book. "I'm not sure I'd be much help."
"You don't have to decide now," Emilia said gently. "There's still time before everything's finalized." Then she smiled, softer this time. "Just think about it. And maybe… you could come by tomorrow."
For a moment, her words lingered between us- simple, but kind.
As we left the library together, sunlight spilled across the hallway floor. Emilia walked a step ahead, humming under her breath, and for the first time in a long while, the silence between us didn't feel heavy.
Tuesday, September 19th
The morning sun slipped through the classroom blinds, painting faint golden lines across my desk. Students murmured softly- half focused on their books, half lost in their own worlds. I tried to focus on my notes, but Emilia's words from yesterday kept replaying in my head:
"You can come to my house to discuss the competition."
It was such a simple thing to say, yet it lingered- the way her voice softened when she said it, as if she understood exactly how much distance I kept from everyone else.
During lunch, I spotted her at a table with Jessie Robinson and Xavier Vega, laughing as they discussed plans for the Academic Competition. Her laughter came so easily, as if she didn't know how to be anything but open.
Part of me wanted to look away. But another part- a familiar part- wondered what it would feel like to sit with them, to belong to that familiar oath again.
After picking up my lunch, I made my way to the oak tree behind the cafeteria- my usual spot since the start of school,the place I went when I wanted to think or simply be alone. It was quiet there, the kind of quiet that made it easy to think but hard to feel. A few other students sat beneath nearby trees, talking softly.
I was halfway through my sandwich when Emilia appeared, tray in hand.
"I knew I'd find you here," she said, sitting down beside me without asking.
I blinked. "How?"
"You've sat here almost everyday since the first week," she said matter-of-factly, unwrapping her sandwich. "You're easy to find- if you know where to look."
I sighed softly, resigned. "You're persistent, you know that?"
"I've been told," she said with a grin. Then, after a moment, "So, did you think about what I said yesterday?"
I looked at her, unsure how to answer. "Yeah."
"And?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "I'm not really the type to… join in."
Emilia leaned back against the tree, her gaze thoughtful. "That's fine. You don't have to talk much. You can just listen. You never know- something might spark an idea. Besides," she added with a small smile, "I could use someone to talk to about my role in all this."
Her voice was calm and kind- not pushy, not insistent- just steady. The kind of voice that made it easy to trust.
For a while, we sat in silence, watching a few leaves drift to the ground.
Maybe she was right. Maybe it could surprise me- maybe it could help me move forward.
When the bell rang, Emilia stood and brushed the dirt of her skirt.
"See you after school?" she asked, almost casually.
I looked up, then nodded before I could stop myself. "Yeah, maybe."
As she walked away, sunlight flickered through the branches, and I caught myself smiling faintly.
Maybe- just maybe- this was how it began.
A quiet step forward from the past.