Redwood pulls people together.
Even when they try to stay apart.
I realized that the moment I stepped into the cafeteria.
Loud.
Crowded.
Normal.
Fake normal.
My eyes scanned the room.
Instinct.
Ryan.
Center table.
Laughing.
Talking.
Like nothing ever happened.
Like he didn't carry anything.
Emily sat beside him.
Perfect posture.
Perfect smile.
Perfect lie.
And then—
She looked at me.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
Because I saw it.
The crack.
The truth behind the smile.
She looked away first.
Of course she did.
"Man… you really like chaos, don't you?"
Noah dropped into the seat across from me.
Relaxed.
Too relaxed.
"Thought I'd give people something to talk about," I said.
He smirked.
"Trust me… they already are."
I leaned back.
"Rumors?"
He shook his head.
"Not rumors."
A pause.
"Theories."
That got my attention.
"About what?"
He hesitated.
Just enough.
"That night."
Of course.
Always that night.
"Funny," I said.
"Everyone talks about it… but no one actually says anything."
"Yeah," he muttered.
"That's kind of the point."
I studied him.
"You're scared."
He laughed.
But his eyes didn't.
"You really don't stop, do you?"
"No."
Silence.
Then—
"This doesn't just affect you," he said.
"It affects all of us."
"Then all of us deserve the truth."
"That's not how this works."
"Then how does it work?"
He looked at me.
Tired.
"It works by pretending it never happened."
I shook my head.
"That's not living."
"No," he said quietly.
"But it's surviving."
That hit.
Harder than I expected.
"Lucas."
I turned.
Emily.
Standing there.
Close.
Careful.
"We need to talk."
Noah leaned back.
"Oh, this should be fun."
He stood.
"I'm gonna pretend I wasn't here."
And just like that—
He was gone.
Smart.
I looked at her.
"About what?"
She glanced around.
People watching.
Always watching.
"Not here."
Of course.
We walked outside.
Cold air.
Empty bleachers.
Same place.
Different feeling.
"You need to stop," she said.
"Stop what?"
"This," she gestured.
"Coming back. Asking questions."
I stepped closer.
"Why?"
"Because this ends badly."
"For who?"
She didn't hesitate.
"For everyone."
I exhaled slowly.
"That's not a reason. That's fear."
"Maybe you should be afraid too."
"Maybe I'm tired of being."
That stopped her.
Good.
"You don't understand what Ryan is capable of," she said.
There it was.
Finally.
"Then tell me."
She hesitated.
"I can't."
"Or you won't?"
She looked away.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked.
"Because something happened," I said.
"And everyone acts like I'm the only one who doesn't know the truth."
"You don't," she whispered.
"Then help me."
"I'm trying to protect you."
I let out a short laugh.
"From what?"
She looked at me.
And for a second—
She almost said it.
"You look like someone about to make the same mistake twice," she said instead.
That hit.
Deep.
"What mistake?"
Silence.
Her lips parted—
Nothing.
"Emily…"
Softer now.
She looked at me.
And for a second—
Everything else disappeared.
No Ryan.
No lies.
Just us.
"You don't have to be afraid of me," I said.
"I'm not afraid of you," she whispered.
"Then what are you afraid of?"
She stepped back.
And then—
"That you'll remember."
My chest tightened.
"Remember what?"
She didn't answer.
Footsteps.
Ryan.
Of course.
Perfect timing.
"Am I interrupting?" he asked.
I looked at him.
"Yeah."
His smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Good."
He looked at Emily.
"Let's go."
She hesitated.
Again.
Then followed him.
Again.
And I stood there.
Watching.
Again.
But this time…
Something was different.
Because now I understood something I didn't before—
They're not just hiding the truth.
They're waiting.
Waiting for me to remember it.
And whatever that is…
It's worse than anything they've told me.
Then—
My phone vibrated.
I froze.
Slowly…
I pulled it out.
Unknown number.
A message.
My heart started racing.
I opened it.
A photo.
Dark.
Blurry.
But clear enough.
My blood ran cold.
Because it was us.
That night.
And in the corner—
Someone else.
Watching.
🖤 Poem — Emily
I walk between truth
and what I deny
one keeps me safe
the other asks why
but the moment you remember…
everything will die