Mirabe didn''t toss the medicine she''d picked up; instead, she gave Lisa a nce and casually asked, "Have you been taking this stuff the whole time?"


    Lisa grabbed a ss of water, took a sip to soothe her throat, and nodded. "Yeah, it seems to help with the coughing a bit."


    "If it''s not doing the trick, why not try a different cold medicine?" Mirabe tilted her head slightly, her voice soft, almost as if she mentioned it in passing.


    Lisa paused, realizing she hadn''t considered that. The medicine was something her mom had given her, and she hadn''t thought much about it. She quickly gave a wry smile and said, "It''s not that it hasn''t helped at all. Maybe it''s because I haven''t been taking it regrly."


    The heavy atmosphere at hometely had left her too distracted to look after her health properly.


    "Sometimes, skipping the meds might actually help a cold clear up faster," Mirabe suggested with a smile.


    Earlier that morning, while checking Lisa''s pulse, Mirabe noticed that Lisa was actually low on energy, not suffering from a cold. When someone stays energy- deficient for too long, their health can take a downturn, even if they''re usually healthy.


    Listening to Mirabe, Lisa nced down at the medicine in her hand and thought perhaps there was some truth in it. Her cough had only slightly improved, and her energy levels hadn''t picked up at all.


    She decided to put the medicine back in its box.


    Mirabe raised an eyebrow, pleased. Lisa seemed to be catching on without needing more advice.


    Just then, Mirabe''s phone buzzed in her pocket. She flicked her finger and pulled it out to check.


    The screen showed a message on Messenger.


    She paused, then settled back on Lisa''s bed and opened it.


    It was a voice message from Niki, someone she hadn''t heard from in a while.


    Surprised, Mirabe quickly listened to the message and replied, "When did you get to Riverdale? I''m in ss right now but will be freeter this afternoon."


    Niki replied swiftly, "Got here this morning. It''s been ages since we caught up, Master Mirabe. If you''re free, want to grab dinner


    tonight?"


    Mirabe thought for a moment and agreed since she didn''t have any ns for the evening.


    Niki, relieved, had been hesitant


    to get back in touch due to some


    issues with his sons. Coming to Riverdale, he decided it was worth reconnecting.


    Luckily, she hadn''t avoided him because of the DaneAsher incident.


    Niki remembered James and sent another message, "How''s James doing


    Mirabe responded, "I''ll ask him."


    Niki replied, "Okay."


    Mirabe sent James a message, but he seemed to be busy since there was no reply for several minutes.


    Not wanting to push, and recalling a phone call she overheard him having in the car yesterday, she figured he was swamped and decided to decline Niki''s invite on James''s behalf.


    They agreed to meet at 6 p.m. at a downtown restaurant.


    After wrapping up the chat with Niki, Mirabe lingered in Lisa''s room for a bit before making up an excuse to leave.


    Once she was far from the dorm building, Mirabe pulled out the two pills from her pocket.


    With a thoughtful look, she gently crushed them into powder, identifying theponents, and a slight smile yed on her lips.


    This wasn''t cold medicine; it was clearly some kind of stimnt.


    With a flick of her fingers, the powdered medicine floated away into the air.