It started simply.
Too simply.
---
"Which school does she go to?"
---
Sofie asked it casually, stretching on the couch, her tone light, almost curious.
"I've never seen her with books like ours… what is she even studying?"
---
The room stilled.
---
Ruby shifted.
Uncomfortable.
---
Christian looked up.
---
"What do you mean?" Sofie added, frowning slightly.
---
Ruby hesitated.
Then—
"She doesn't go to school."
---
Silence.
---
"…what?" Christian's voice came out sharp.
---
"She works," Ruby continued quietly. "Two jobs."
---
It didn't land immediately.
---
Like a sound too heavy to register.
---
Then—
Christian stood up.
Abrupt.
---
"No," he said, shaking his head. "No, that's not—"
---
"Come," Ruby cut in.
---
And they followed.
---
---
They stood outside the window.
Hidden.
---
And watched.
---
Salomi.
---
Moving.
Constantly.
---
Carrying trays.
Lifting crates.
Smiling at customers.
---
Not once sitting.
---
Even during what should have been her break—
She stood.
Worked.
---
A small snack held between her lips as she moved.
No time to eat properly.
---
No time to rest.
---
Sofie's chest tightened.
---
Christian's fists clenched.
---
Ruby looked away briefly.
Then back again.
---
Because she had seen this before.
---
And it never got easier.
---
---
Then—
It happened.
---
A misstep.
---
Her foot caught.
---
She fell.
---
All three of them moved instinctively—
But stopped.
---
Because she didn't cry out.
Didn't look for help.
---
She looked around.
Quickly.
Almost… nervously.
---
Then brushed herself off.
---
A faint strain crossed her face.
Her breathing uneven for a moment—
---
But she forced it down.
---
And bent to pick up the crates.
---
Careful.
Gentle.
---
Relieved that nothing broke.
---
That—
That broke them.
---
---
She clocked out.
---
They thought she was going home.
---
But she didn't.
---
She walked further.
---
To another job.
---
---
Sofie stopped walking.
---
"…she's going to work again?" her voice cracked.
---
Ruby didn't answer.
---
Christian didn't speak.
---
Because something ugly had settled inside him.
---
Shame.
---
Because he—
Who should have been protecting her—
---
Had been the one tearing her down.
---
And his father—
---
Wasn't it his responsibility?
---
Why were they in school…
And she wasn't?
---
---
They followed anyway.
---
Watched again.
---
This time—
Closer.
---
And then—
---
She swayed.
---
Just slightly.
---
Then—
Collapsed.
---
Her head hit the edge of the table.
---
A sickening sound.
---
That was enough.
---
They ran.
---
No hesitation.
---
No hiding.
---
---
Ruby reached her first.
Dropping to her knees.
---
"Salomi!"
---
Christian was right behind.
---
"Are you okay?"
"You're bleeding—"
"We're going to the hospital—"
---
Sofie was shaking.
Hands hovering, unsure where to touch.
---
Voices overlapping.
Panicked.
---
Salomi's vision blurred—
Then slowly cleared.
---
And when she saw them—
---
Shock.
---
"What… are you doing here?" she whispered.
---
"Can you walk?" Christian asked urgently.
---
She tried.
Failed.
---
"Doesn't matter," he muttered.
---
And lifted her.
---
Like she weighed nothing.
---
The hospital smelled too clean.
Too quiet.
---
They sat.
Close.
Tense.
---
Salomi between them.
---
A doctor approached.
Files in hand.
---
Concern already etched on his face.
---
"Why haven't you been coming for your checkups?" he asked.
---
The question fell—
Wrong.
---
"What checkups?" Christian asked immediately.
---
The doctor paused.
Looked between them.
---
Then back at Salomi.
---
Understanding dawned.
Slow.
Heavy.
---
"You… didn't tell them?"
---
Silence.
---
Salomi looked down.
---
And that—
That was the answer.
---
The doctor exhaled.
Then spoke.
---
"You were diagnosed with Brain Cancer."
---
Everything stopped.
---
"You've been missing your appointments," he continued, voice gentler now. "We tried reaching you—"
---
"How long?" Ruby's voice came out hollow.
---
A pause.
---
The doctor hesitated.
---
Then—
"It's advanced."
---
Another pause.
---
"You have… about a month."
---
---
The world ended.
Quietly.
---
Sofie dropped.
---
Her knees hit the floor.
Hard.
---
"No…" she whispered, shaking her head.
---
Christian didn't move.
---
Didn't blink.
---
Didn't breathe.
---
Like his body refused to process it.
---
Ruby—
---
Just stared.
---
At Salomi.
---
Not the doctor.
Not the room.
---
Just her.
---
Trying to understand.
---
Trying to find something that said this wasn't real.
---
But all she saw—
---
Was guilt.
---
On Salomi's face.
---
Small.
Childlike.
---
Like someone who had been caught doing something wrong.
---
---
"I didn't want to worry you…" she said softly.
---
And that—
---
That shattered whatever was left of them.
---
Because even now—
---
Even now—
---
She was thinking of them.
---
---
And they had only just started thinking of her.
--