the truth(12)

(The sun casts long shadows across the schoolyard as Michael and his friends gather near their usual spot—by the fountain in the courtyard. The air is warm, filled with the chatter of students leaving for the day. Laughter echoes around them as they talk about random things, their usual banter lightening the mood.)

Ethan:

"So, we actually don't have any homework today? Damn, I feel like we just got a day off from prison."

Emily:

"Don't jinx it, dumbass. Watch a teacher pop up out of nowhere and give us a surprise assignment."

Alex:

"Yeah, let's not tempt fate."

(Michael leans against the fountain, grinning as he watches his friends banter. It felt nice, these moments of peace. But then… Marie suddenly steps forward, a slight pink tinge on her cheeks.)

Marie:

"Hey, um… Alex?"

Alex:

(Blinking in confusion) "Huh? Yeah, what's up?"

Marie:

(Fidgeting slightly, then taking a deep breath) "I was wondering… do you wanna hang out after school? Just the two of us?"

(Silence.)

(Alex processes her words for a second before realization hits him. His face turns slightly red, and he scratches his cheek awkwardly.)

Alex:

"Oh, uh… only the two of us? I mean… okay, sure."

(Michael's smirk widens as he steps forward, clapping a hand on Alex's shoulder.)

Michael:

"Well, good luck, Alex. Hope you enjoy this date."

(At the word "date," Alex stiffens, his face going even redder. Marie, standing beside him, also blushes slightly.)

Alex:

"W-What? A date? How is this a date, Michael?!"

Michael:

(Grinning mischievously) "Come on, Alex. A boy and a girl, in middle school, going out together? If that's not a date, then I don't know what is."

(Before Alex can retort, Marie crosses her arms and rolls her eyes.)

Marie:

"Oh, shut up, Michael."

Alex:

(Still flustered) "Yeah, shut up!"

(Michael just laughs as Alex and Marie turn away, clearly embarrassed. As they walk off, Michael calls after them with a teasing tone.)

Michael:

"Enjoy your date~!"

Alex & Marie (simultaneously):

"Shut up!"

(The rest of the group bursts into laughter, enjoying the scene too much.)

(As the laughter dies down, Lucas stretches his arms, looking at Michael with a raised brow.)

Lucas:

"You know, Dakota… you really haven't changed at all."

Ava:

(Nodding in agreement) "Yeah, even when you reincarnated, you're still the same person. It's kinda freaky."

Henry:

"Like, shouldn't you be different? You died, got reborn, and lived a whole other life, but you're still just… you."

(Dakota simply smirks, crossing his arms.)

Dakota:

"Well, of course, I am. Even though I may be older mentally, I'm still me."

(The group pauses. The gears in their brains start turning. And then—)

Lucas:

"Wait… older mentally? Hold up—how old are you… mentally?"

Ava:

(Eyes widening in horror) "Oh my god. Are you actually, like… an old man?!"

Marie:

"Wait, wait, wait—how old are you?!"

Dakota:

(Shrugging casually) "Technically speaking… I guess I'd be in my early forties now?"

(Silence.)

(Then—)

Henry:

"OH MY GOD, YOU'RE A FREAKING OLD MAN."

Ava:

(Pointing at Dakota dramatically) "YOU'RE LITERALLY A 40-YEAR-OLD TRAPPED IN A 21-YEAR-OLD'S BODY. THAT'S SO WEIRD."

Marie:

"That means… oh my god, we've been hanging out with an old man this whole time."

Dakota:

(Deadpan) "I'm physically 21, thank you very much."

Lucas:

(Laughing) "Nah, man. It's too late. You're Old Man Dakota now."

Henry:

"Yeah, from now on, that's your new nickname. Old Man Dakota."

Dakota:

"What?!"

Ava:

(Smirking) "Sorry, Old Man Dakota, but you brought this upon yourself."

Dakota:

(Sighs heavily, rubbing his temples) "I swear, I hate all of you."

(The group just laughs harder, enjoying his suffering.)

(The scene shifts to a small shopping district. The streets are lined with food stalls, tiny shops, and the occasional street musician playing a soft melody on the corner. The atmosphere is lively but not overwhelming, making it a perfect place for a casual hangout.)

(Alex and Marie walk side by side, neither saying much at first. The tension from earlier still lingers, but eventually, Mia speaks up.)

Marie:

"So… you like sweet stuff, right?"

Alex:

(Shrugs) "Yeah, I guess. Why?"

Marie:

(Pointing ahead) "There's a shop up there that sells the best taiyaki. Wanna try?"

Alex:

"Oh, sure. Sounds good."

(They walk over and order their snacks. The warm, sweet aroma fills the air as they each take a bite. Alex hums in satisfaction.)

Alex:

"Damn, this is actually really good."

Marie:

(Smiling softly) "Told you."

(They continue walking, occasionally stopping at small stalls to look at trinkets. The atmosphere between them grows more comfortable, the earlier embarrassment fading away. Eventually, they sit down on a bench near a small park.)

Marie:

"You know… I'm glad we did this."

Alex:

(Blinking in surprise) "Huh? Why?"

Marie:

"Because we don't really get to talk like this, just the two of us. It's nice."

(Alex feels his face heat up slightly but quickly looks away, trying to play it cool.)

Alex:

"Y-Yeah, I guess it is kinda nice."

(Marie giggles at his reaction, finding it amusing how flustered he gets so easily. The two continue their conversation, the awkwardness fully replaced by a sense of ease.)

(But Mia and Liam watching this, deep in their minds… a strange sense of déjà vu lingers.)

(Meanwhile, back at the group's usual hangout spot, Liam and Mia suddenly wince, grabbing their heads.)

Liam:

"Ugh… wait… why does this feel… familiar?"

Amelia:

"Mia? Are you okay?"

Mia:

(Holding her head, eyes slightly unfocused) "I don't know… I just… something about this… it feels like I've done this before."

(Dakota, watching them carefully, narrows his eyes slightly.)

Dakota (thinking):

"It's starting."

(The memory fragments begin to surface, but they aren't clear just yet. But Dakota knows—it won't be long now.)

Dakota thinking: ok it looks like mia and Liam is starting to get their memories back, which means... The only one left is ava, and she will soon also Start the procedure of getting her memories back, Soon enough she will.