chapter 4

The morning light streamed through Elena's curtains, but she didn't stir. She had been awake for hours, staring at the ceiling as her thoughts ran in endless circles. The boy from the bench lingered in her mind, his shadowed figure playing on a loop. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the water's icy grip pulling her under again, heard the cruel laughter, and saw flashes of her savior's face—or what little she could remember of it.

Her family's usual morning chaos echoed through the house. Pots clanged in the kitchen, her siblings bickered over something trivial, and her parents exchanged curt remarks before heading off to work. None of them bothered to check on her.

By the time Elena finally dragged herself out of bed, the house was quiet again, save for the faint hum of the television in the living room. Her siblings were still there, their laughter filtering through the hallway.

She entered the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, her throat still raw from the ordeal at the party. As she sipped, she overheard Claire talking to Max.

"She's so dramatic," Claire was saying. "I mean, falling into a pool isn't a big deal. People are acting like she nearly died or something."

"She probably did it for attention," Max replied, his voice dripping with disdain.

Elena's grip on the glass tightened. She had heard enough.

She set the glass down and headed back to her room, her appetite gone.

---

At school, the whispers followed her again, but Elena had grown numb to them. Every laugh, every pointed look slid off her like water on glass—or at least that's what she told herself.

She was at her locker, shoving her books inside, when she heard Hamly's voice behind her.

"There you are," Hamly said, grinning as she leaned against the lockers. "I've been looking for you all morning."

Elena didn't bother to respond.

Hamly frowned. "What's with the silent treatment? You're not still mad about the party, are you?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Elena replied, her voice sharper than she intended.

Hamly's expression hardened. "Oh, come on. I already told you, I went to get help. You're acting like I left you there on purpose."

"You didn't stay to help," Elena shot back. "You just ran off, like everyone else."

Hamly rolled her eyes. "I wasn't the only one. Besides, you're fine now. Why can't you just let it go?"

"Because it's not something you just 'let go,' Hamly. I could have died."

Hamly sighed dramatically, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "You're so sensitive sometimes. It's not that serious. No one's even talking about it anymore."

"They are," Elena said quietly, her voice trembling. "I hear them."

Hamly hesitated, her expression softening for a brief moment before she shrugged it off. "Well, you can't change what happened. Just ignore them. They'll move on eventually."

Elena wanted to argue, to tell Hamly that it wasn't that simple, but she knew it would be pointless. Hamly didn't understand—she never had.

"Whatever," Elena muttered, slamming her locker shut. "I have to get to class."

---

The day passed in a haze. Elena kept her head down, avoiding eye contact and staying as far away from the crowds as possible. By the time the final bell rang, her energy was completely drained.

As she walked out of the building, she spotted a familiar figure leaning against the fence near the entrance. It was the boy from the bench.

Her heart raced as she slowed her steps, trying to decide whether to approach him. He was scrolling through his phone, seemingly unaware of her presence.

Before she could make up her mind, Hamly appeared beside her.

"Who are you staring at?" Hamly asked, following her gaze.

"No one," Elena said quickly, looking away.

"Liar," Hamly teased, grinning. "Is that your mystery guy? The one who saved you?"

Elena's cheeks burned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please. Don't play dumb. You've been acting weird ever since the party. Spill."

"There's nothing to spill," Elena snapped, her tone harsher than she intended.

Hamly raised her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. No need to bite my head off."

Elena sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I just... I don't know if it's him. I've seen him a couple of times now, but I can't be sure."

"Then go talk to him," Hamly said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"I can't," Elena said quickly. "What if I'm wrong? What if he doesn't even know who I am?"

Hamly rolled her eyes. "Then you'll know, won't you? At least you'll stop obsessing over it."

Elena didn't respond. She watched as the boy put his phone away and walked off, his figure disappearing into the distance.

---

That evening, Elena found herself at the park again. The fading sunlight cast long shadows across the paths, and the air was crisp and cool.

She wandered aimlessly, her mind a jumble of thoughts. She thought about the party, about Hamly, about the boy who might—or might not—be the one who saved her.

As she rounded a corner, she nearly bumped into someone.

"Sorry," she said quickly, stepping back.

"It's okay," a familiar voice replied.

Elena looked up, her breath catching in her throat. It was him.

He was standing in front of her, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. His dark eyes met hers briefly before darting away.

"You're the girl from school, right?" he asked, his tone casual.

Elena nodded, her throat suddenly dry.

"I've seen you around," he continued. "You're... Elena, right?"

"Yeah," she said quietly. "And you're...?"

"Liam," he said, offering a small smile.

The name tugged at something in her memory, but she couldn't place it.

They stood in awkward silence for a moment before Liam spoke again.

"So, do you come here often?" he asked, his tone light.

"Sometimes," Elena replied. "It's quiet."

"Yeah, I like that about it too," Liam said, glancing around.

Elena hesitated, her heart pounding. She wanted to ask him if he was the one who had saved her, but the words wouldn't come.

Instead, she said, "I think I've seen you before. At the party."

Liam's expression flickered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "Yeah, I was there."

"Were you the one who—" Elena started, but she stopped herself.

Liam frowned slightly. "Who what?"

"Nothing," Elena said quickly. "Never mind."

Liam didn't press her, but his gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he looked away.

"Well, I should get going," he said after a while. "Maybe I'll see you around."

"Yeah," Elena said, watching as he walked away.

She stood there for a long time, her mind racing. She still didn't have any answers, but for the first time, she felt like she was getting closer.