Friends

Maria-Sable's voice thundered through the phone, her frustration palpable. "I need the damn money."

On the other end, Mr. Miller, the family lawyer, maintained his composure. "Mrs. Draven, you've got to be calm. There's nothing we can do in the meantime."

Her patience frayed, Maria-Sable's anger boiled over. "What am I even paying you for, Miller! My children have rights to that property!" She stomped her foot in frustration, feeling a sharp sting as it caught on the edge of a nearby table.

"Mrs. Draven, please," he urged, his voice steady but firm. "I've made a new appointment with the authorities. We'll figure it out." With that, he dismissed her concerns and ended the call.

"Damnit!" Sable cursed under her breath, unaccustomed to being cut off mid-rant. She felt trapped by Gordon's wickedness and forced to tolerate this egocentric lawyer who seemed to care more about his paycheck than her family's plight.

---

In another part of Clarington, Norah lived a life that seemed worlds apart from her mother's chaos. A picture of serenity, she embodied the classic female protagonists from novels, calm and quiet, only speaking when necessary.

At Bookside High School, Eldoria's prestigious institution known for nurturing brilliance, Norah spent her days with her nose buried deep in books.

Despite her breathtaking beauty, popularity was never her goal. Loneliness had been a constant companion since childhood; her sister Neveah was her only solace until tragedy struck and took Neveah away when Norah was still a little girl. The absence left a gaping hole in Norah's heart, a void that no amount of time could fill.

Norah often found herself lost in thought, pondering why her mother couldn't be as affectionate as Neveah had been. It was a question that haunted her for years, echoing in the silence that filled their home.

Maria-Sable's aloofness left Norah feeling like an outsider in her own life; it was as if affection flowed freely towards her brother while she remained invisible.

The loss of Neveah had profoundly shaken the Draven family. For Norah, it felt like losing a part of herself, a piece of her heart that had been irrevocably taken away.

As time passed, she learned to navigate through the grief and emotional distance from Maria-Sable. Yet some days still felt dark and heavy, clouded by memories that threatened to drown her.

But just as shadows lingered over her life, there was light in the form of Ailsa, Norah's only friend who burst into her world like a whirlwind. Ailsa was everything Norah wasn't: loud and unapologetic, never shying away from speaking her mind.

"Yo!" Ailsa's voice cut through Norah's reverie as she approached with a frown etched on her face.

Norah snapped out of her thoughts; she had been lost in them again. Ailsa knew this routine all too well, her friend's silence often meant turmoil beneath the surface.

"Hey Norah," Ailsa said gently as she patted Norah's shoulder. Startled, Norah flinched.

"Seriously! Why don't you make a sound when you walk?" Norah replied with a hint of irritation mixed with affection.

"Hi to you too," Ailsa shot back playfully before shifting into concern. "What's on your mind? You've been staring out that window for ages."

Norah hesitated but finally let out a sigh. "I'm just... missing Neveah."

"And your mom? She's not bothering you?" Ailsa asked softly, squeezing Norah's hand affectionately.

"Something's going on with the property; now she's busy." Norah pulled Ailsa into a bear hug, seeking comfort in their friendship.

Ailsa chuckled softly. "Don't worry; I know everything will be alright! Besides, graduation is just around the corner."

Just then, the bell rang loudly through the corridors, signaling students to head to the main conference hall for an assembly, a regular occurrence on Mondays but somehow unexpected on this Tuesday.

"Shoot! It's Tuesday!" Ailsa exclaimed in surprise.

"Come on," Norah urged as they joined the throng of students rushing toward the grand hall where important messages awaited them.

As they navigated through the bustling crowd filled with eager faces and animated conversations, both girls felt an undeniable sense of anticipation lingering in the air, something unusual was about to unfold at Bookside High School that day.