The night was unusually cold. A sharp breeze crept through the cracks in Mia's window, making the curtains dance like ghostly veils. She lay in bed, her journal open beside her, the words she'd written earlier now seeming ominously prophetic. Sleep evaded her, as it often did these days. She turned to the side, staring at the door of her room, barely illuminated by the dim glow of the nightlight.
Then it happened.
A soft creaking echoed from the passage—the sound of wood straining under weight. Mia's eyes widened as her bedroom door slowly opened by itself. She sat upright, heart hammering. The house was silent except for the persistent creak.
And then, from the darkness of the hallway, came a whisper.
"Mia."
It wasn't her mother's voice. It wasn't any voice she recognized from the living world. It was Lily's—low, echoing, layered with something ancient and sorrowful.
Mia stepped out of bed, each step hesitant. As she reached the threshold of her room, she saw it: a faint silhouette at the end of the hallway near the old locked door—the one her father always denied existed.
"Lily?" Mia called out, barely audible.
The silhouette turned. For a split second, Lily's face became clear. She looked exactly as Mia had seen her in dreams—dark hair cascading in waves, eyes too deep for a girl her age, and a slight, somber smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Is there something you're trying to tell me?" Mia asked as fear seeped into her core.
"Henry," Lily said softly, and then vanished.
Mia woke up suddenly, sweating profusely and breathing heavily. She sat up and looked around. "Thank goodness, it was a dream," she muttered quietly to herself. She stood and checked her surroundings. "It felt so real, but why would Lily mention Henry?" She recalled arriving at Allen High and meeting Henry for the first time. "That was when Lily told me I'm getting closer. What does Henry have to do with Lily? I have to ask him something at school."
Allen High was buzzing with the usual chaos of the morning rush. Mia moved carefully through the crowd, her bag slung over one shoulder, trying not to draw attention. She had only been at the school for a week, but she already knew how quickly whispers would spread about her and Henry.
Suddenly, someone tugged at her bag. She looked back and saw Hilda, clinging to her strap. Mia tightened her grip, trying not to let go.
"Long time no see, newbie," Hilda said disdainfully.
"It's been just a week," Mia replied unhappily. She had met another troublemaker far too early in the morning.
"Oh, it feels like it's been forever since I saw your awful face trying to get a guy's attention," Hilda said with an evil smile.
Mia looked down, then suddenly lifted her head, eyes cold and intense as she stared directly into Hilda's face.
"What's with the look? It suits you so well," Hilda sneered as she came closer. "You fell intentionally into Henry's arms to get his attention, and now you've got your eyes on Carl too. You're such a sneaky little thing."
"Are you jealous?" Mia asked angrily.
"Why would I be? I don't chase guys—they come to me," Hilda said, then walked away.
"That arrogant wench can't mind her own business," Mia thought angrily, clenching her fists as she watched Hilda leave.
The bell rang, and students began flooding into their classrooms. Elise gave Mia's arm a gentle squeeze. "Whatever that was, I've got your back. Come on, let's not be late."
As they walked to class, Mia glanced over her shoulder toward the end of the hallway. For a moment, she thought she saw a figure standing there—long hair, pale skin, and dark eyes watching her.
But when she blinked, the hallway was empty again.
Later that day, Henry and Mia found themselves in the library at the same time. Henry was seated in a corner booth, flipping through a history textbook but clearly not reading. Mia hesitated, then approached him.
"You're not really into history, are you?" she asked.
Henry glanced up, slightly surprised. "Excuse me?"
"You're pretending to study," she said, taking a seat across from him. "But your mind is somewhere else."
He gave a polite smile. "What makes you say that?"
"I can hear when people lie."
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Is that so? I think you mentioned something like that before."
"Yes—and you're lying now."
For a moment, his mask slipped. His eyes darkened, and his smile faded into something more real. "You're not like the others."
"Neither are you," Mia replied.
He leaned back. "What do you want to know?"
"Do you know someone named Lily?" she asked.
Henry froze. His jaw clenched. "No."
Lie.
Mia felt the sting of the falsehood like a cold breeze on her skin. She said nothing as she watched Henry stand and walk away.
But now she knew—Henry was hiding something, and Lily was at the center of it.
At Henry's mansion, Henry bolted upright in bed, heart racing, eyes wide in the darkness. He'd dreamed of his sister again. He turned on the lamp, reached for his backpack, and pulled out his diary.
April 3rd — The door opened again. I saw her this time. A girl with dark eyes and a voice like sorrow. She called herself Lily, my sister. She warned me not to trust Charles, said the house remembers. I don't know what she means.
"If she is my sister, why wouldn't she call Charles our father? And what does she mean by 'the house remembers'?" he wondered aloud.
The next morning, the air in the house felt heavy—almost electric. Mia sat at the breakfast table, barely touching her food. Her mother chatted idly about the weather and upcoming parent-teacher meetings, but Mia barely registered her words. Her mind was fixated on what Lily had said, and Henry's reaction when she mentioned her.
Mia suddenly stood and headed toward her room.
"Won't you eat before going to school? I told you not to skip meals for any reason," Mrs. Larry called from behind her, but Mia didn't seem to hear. She just kept walking.
At school, the corridors buzzed with adolescent noise—lockers slamming, sneakers squeaking, and laughter echoing. Mia walked straight to the back courtyard where she and Henry had once met. He wasn't in the library or class, but he was there—leaning against a tree, lost in thought.
"Henry," she called softly.
He turned, and the serious look in Mia's eyes made him think something was wrong.
"Any problem?" he asked, noticing Mia breathing heavily as if she'd just run a hundred-meter race.
"I figured you might be here since you weren't in class. I'm sorry about yesterday. I've been seeing strange things lately, and getting close to you probably pulled you into my imagination. I keep trying to convince myself it's not real. I had a dream that prompted the question. I'm really sorry."
"Is that why you were looking for me? It's not that serious. With time, you'll find answers to the questions that trouble you," Henry said, then walked away.
Mia was talking with Elise on the balcony.
"So… are you doubting him?" Elise asked.
"Yes. Lily never mentioned anyone else's name to me. I feel she's connected to him. Since our first meeting, I've sensed this haunted aura about him. I can't explain it, but I must find out everything—even if it means following him around like a puppet. I want peace of mind," Mia said, staring down the hallway.
The next day at school, Mia sat alone in the library. She kept hearing whispers about her and Henry. Carl had previously spread a rumor that Mia wasn't ordinary. Some students said she had strange powers; some called her a freak.
Mia opened her diary and began writing down the things she heard in people's voices. Some were small lies; others were bigger and darker. She was beginning to understand that truth could be dangerous.
As she closed her diary, someone sat beside her. It was Henry.
"I was looking for you," he said.
Mia's heart fluttered. She suddenly saw how stunning Henry looked. **He's charming,** she told herself.
"I'm here," Mia said with a smile. But then she remembered the rumors about her dating Henry—and about not being ordinary. She glanced around and noticed students watching.
"Well, is there anything you need my help with?" she asked, her smile fading.
"Yes," Henry replied. "Since everyone thinks there's something between us… should we date?" he asked, locking eyes with her.
The surrounding students fell silent, surprised.
Mia blinked, stunned, staring into Henry's eyes. He held her hand and gently helped her stand.
"Your expressions are unreadable. Tell me… do you think I'm hiding something?"
Mia looked into his eyes and listened closely. No whispers. No warnings. Just calm.
"No," she said. "You're being honest with me."
Henry smiled. "Good—because I want to protect you. Whatever this is between us, I want to keep it safe."
Mia nodded. "Then stay close. The lies around here are getting louder."
They looked at each other, both knowing that peaceful days wouldn't last long.