A glass falls from my hand and shatters on the floor.
"Heyyy, Zoey, you okay?" Luca is beside me instantly.
"I… I'm okay."
He pauses, studying my face. "Well, um… you look distracted."
I look down, fidgeting with my fingers. I've been thinking about Uncle Jackson ever since I saw him. It's really making things hard. Luca seems to notice. This is the second time he's asked if I'm okay.
"You don't have to worry about me, Luca."
"You don't look okay. If you want, you can take a day off. I'll be fine. I'll manage."
I really look at him this time — like he just said the most genuine thing anyone has said to me all day.
I nod. "Okay… are you sure?"
He smiles. "You can trust me. I'm a professional." He nervously brushes his fingers through his brown hair. "I think so"...
I giggle softly. "Okay. You earned a big thank you."
"Good. Now quit arguing and go home. Rest."
He lightly pushes me toward the door.
"Wait… Luca." He pauses. "Yeah?
"Thank you."
He winks. I blush and start taking off my apron. He takes it from me instantly.
"Now go."
I nod and walk away slowly, giving him one last small smile.
......................
I open the backyard door and step outside. A chill runs down my spine.
Memories flash in front of me like a movie Dad working in the garden, gossiping with Mom while I played in the soil, trying to dig a hole just like he did.
I walk past the white flowers. There's a faint smell of wet soil.
It used to calm my nerves.
Now it puts them on edge.
I kneel down, my fingers brushing against the soft petals of the perennials. These used to be my favorite. Now I prefer lilies.
I stand up with a sigh and looks up at the sky. The stars shine quietly against the dark.
Uncle Jackson knows something I don't. He always does. There's something strange about him — the way he drops hints, like the air shifting before a storm.
I really want to know what Mom and he talked about.
I know it must be something I wasn't meant to hear.
I walk forward slowly.
A faint clinking sound pulls me out of my thoughts.
I look down. I've stepped on something.
My heart stops.
A pendant.
Mom's pendant.
"She… she came here."
I pick it up carefully. This was the only gift Dad ever gave her.
A shaky breath leaves me.
"So she planted these flowers…"
I turn back and look at them, my eyes filling with tears.
She still wants me to love them. My voice breaks before I say it.
"Never."
.........
Dear Diary,
I'm surprised I even found the courage to start writing again.
I am alone. And this time, I'm not just saying it I've accepted it.
Life has been messy. The last entry was about Dad's death… and now it's Mom.
I never thought her death would make me write again.
The flowers. This empty house. They haunt me every second. At night, I hug my pillow and try to get used to all of this. I tell myself I'll adjust. I always do.
But something or maybe someone keeps pulling me back. Stops me from slipping into that coldness and numbness I used to carry before I met Elly and… Luca.
I'm falling for him. Harder than I ever expected.
And I never thought he would be the reason I'd want to hold on to myself again.
Lately, I've been hallucinating.
I saw Mom earlier by the window. When I opened my eyes at midnight, she was there. Crying. Sobbing like a mess.
And then her smile changed into something I can't even describe. Something sharp. Something that pierced straight through my heart.
Something almost… devilish.
Maybe I'm going crazy again. I really don't want to
— Zoey
Elly sits beside me while I'm buried in my book, trying to prepare for a test.
"Heyyy, Ms. Nodhead."
I look up, realizing I have no idea how long she's been staring at me.
"Hey, Miss Drama Queen."
I look back down at my notebook. She smiles and drops her backpack beside me. Sitting beside me
"You okay?"
I nod. "You?"
She pauses and looks at me like I asked something I wasn't supposed to.
When she doesn't answer, I look up again. "Are you okay, Elizabeth?"
She grins suddenly. "Yeah, yeah. I just wanted to see how you'd react if I got all serious and quiet."
She giggles.
I roll my eyes. She looks at me "You know you can just tell me you care and love me. No need to act mysterious."
Her blonde hair falls in soft curls around her shoulders, and the little star she draws under her eye every day sparkles when she smiles.
"You're too extra, Elly."
She beams. "I know."
She does her usual wink, and I shake my head before going back to my notebook.
"Hey, Zoey."
My head snaps up.
That spark in my eyes appears before I can stop it — and this time, Elly notices.
"Hey, Luca…"
Elly gives me that knowing smile.
"How are you? Did you rest well?"
I glance at Elly, confused by her expression. "I… I'm okay. What about you?"
He smiles. "All good. Just broke a glass at the cafe" He laughs softly, making me laugh too.
He turns to Elly. "Oh, hey, Elizabeth."
"Oh wow, he finally noticed me too," she teases.
I nudge her to keep her quiet. She just laughs.
"Just kidding. You know me, right, Luca?"
He smiles nervously. "Yeah… um, sure."
"Actually," he says, looking back at me, "can I sit with Zoey today?"
My eyes widen. I already know Elly is about to give me that look again.
"Sure, Luca. Zoey… I mean, I won't mind at all," she says, getting up and winking at me.
My stomach does that warm, fluttery thing.
He sits beside me. His arms brushes with mine His cologne faint but familiar.....
"You okay with me sitting here?" he asks softly.
I nod, knowing my face must be bright pink right now.
I quickly look back down at my notebook, trying to hide my face.
He smiles and looks ahead.