Auroray motionless on the hospital bed, the heart monitor beside her beginning to register subtle fluctuations.


    It was as if she were trapped in a nightmare.


    And in truth, she was.


    For the past two weeks, Aurora had been lost in what felt like an endless dream.


    In a realm no one could see, she was forging her way through thorns and shadows, slowly growing stronger.


    Bit by bit, the scene drew into the depths of her mind, where she was face–to–face with her younger self.


    Like a silent observer, Aurora watched her life unfold before her eyes, cach moment ying out in sequence.


    Her memories began to surface.


    The Walton estate.


    Beside the pool, three little girls yed along the edge.


    It had originally just been young Aurora and Megan.


    Tessa had only joined themter.


    At first, neither of them realized it.


    It wasn’t until Tessa stood before them that Aurora and Megan looked up in surprise.


    Tess had been shy back then.


    Clutching the hem of her dress, she asked, “Can I y with you?”


    Aurora and Megan exchanged a nce.


    “Of course you can,” Megan answered first.


    She’d always been open–hearted, and since Tessa had taken the initiative, she didn’t think much of it.


    But even then, young Aurora felt something was off.


    Tessa never approached her like this.


    And with Megan present, it was even less likely.


    That alone made the little Aurora wary.


    But the Aurora watching from the sidelines was on the verge of panic.


    Tessa been rotten to the core since childhood.


    She had only asked to join them because she was jealous that Megan hade to y with her.


    Her real goal had been simple: to push her into the pool.


    Aurora still remembered how she’d fallen ill for a long time after that incident.


    It was also the moment Megan began to see Tessa differently, realizing she wasn’t nearly as kind as she pretended to be.


    But back then<b>, </b>neither of them had any clue, much less any reason to refuse Tessa.


    Aurora grew more desperate as she watched.


    She shouted from the side, “Don’t say yes! She’s trouble!”


    <b>+25 </b>


    BONUS


    “You


    two just y together-


    and


    ignore


    her. She’s only here


    because she


    Wants something.”


    Her v


    r voice


    grew hoarse from


    yelling, but


    young


    Megan


    and


    young Aurora


    showed


    по


    reaction at all.


    It


    was like she


    was watching a film projected right in front


    of her.


    And


    this


    I she, in moment, was merely an observer-


    -powerless


    to ferfere<b>. </b>


    Once


    Aurora realized


    that, there was nothing she


    Watch could do but


    what caine next.


    Sure


    enough, just as


    the


    girls


    were


    and


    ying, seized


    Tessa


    her


    chance.


    When Aurora


    wasn’t l looking, Tessa


    shoved her straight into the pool.


    With a loud ssh, Aurora hit


    the


    water.


    She


    hadn’t known how t to swim–just iled helplessly.


    The


    moment


    was so sudden it


    stunned


    little


    Megan<b>. </b>


    When she snapped


    out of it,


    <b>saw </b>


    she Tessa


    standing nearby,


    wearing


    <b>a </b>smug


    little


    grin.


    Megan


    didn’t even


    have time to


    question her–her


    first


    pull Aurora instinct was to


    out.


    But she


    couldn’t. She wasn’t strong enough.


    Megan could


    I only watch in horror


    as Aurora’s struggling


    began to weaken.


    Frantic, she shoved Tessa


    and


    yelled at


    her to


    go get an


    adult.


    Y


    <b>2/2 </b>