Chapter 12

As Mirabel walked around in the night, still wearing her school uniform and sobbing, all she could think about was running far away from home to silence what she had just heard. She had prepared herself for the news of the divorce, but nothing could have prepared her for the reason behind it.

As she wandered through the dark streets, tears streaming down her cheeks, she kept questioning herself again and again.

Where did it all go wrong?

What came over Mom?

Why is my life full of ups and downs?

And now, knowing that someone might be trying to kill her, was enough to make everything feel like hell. The chaos in her family was only making it worse.

The rain began to fall, gentle at first, then harder. Mira's sobs grew louder as she kept walking under the cold downpour, feeling drained and completely lost. In that moment, the only person she could think of running to was Elsa.

Back at home, Lauryl stormed out into the rain, her heart pounding in panic as she started running frantically through the neighborhood, calling out for her daughter.

"Mira!" she screamed into the darkness. "Mirabel!"

She was drenched, tears mixed with the rain as she looked around, her voice breaking with every cry. She searched, desperate, terrified.

Mira, still soaked and shivering, continued walking through the storm until she reached Elsa's house. She hesitated, trembling, then rang the doorbell with shaking hands. After a few seconds and a couple more rings, the door finally swung open.

Elsa's eyes widened in shock.

"Mira...?" she whispered.

Mirabel stood there completely soaked, face pale and drained, eyes red from crying, looking utterly helpless.

Without a second thought, Elsa grabbed her hand and pulled her inside, out of the rain. Mira's soaked shoes squeaked on the floor as Elsa shut the door behind them. Her parents rushed over immediately, concern written all over their faces. Elizabeth gasped when she saw Mira.

"What happened, Mira?" she asked, stunned.

But Mira just stood there, shivering and sobbing. She couldn't say a word.

Elsa froze for a moment. Suddenly, this moment hit her like a flash of lightning. Like a Déjà vu. Her memories jolted....she remembered this. It had happened before, in the first timeline. Mira had come to her in this exact same way after a fight with her mom about the divorce.

"Mom… I'll take her to my room and change her into something cozy," Elsa said gently, holding Mira's hand.

Both her parents nodded.

"Let her have a warm bath. She doesn't look too good," her dad added softly.

Elsa nodded again, guiding Mira quietly to her room.

Elizabeth watched them go, worry in her eyes. She didn't know the full story, but she knew for sure—it was from home. Lauryl had confided in her about the divorce... and how she had cheated. Elizabeth figured that maybe Mira had just been told the news.

Lauryl stopped running. She stood still under the rain, exhausted and broken, unable to find her daughter. Her heart sank. Slowly, she turned around and walked back home, soaked and shaking. She knew that the only place Mira could have gone to, was Elsa's house.

When she walked in, Nelson was there. His eyes widened in alarm when he saw her dripping wet.

Without hesitation, he rushed toward her, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her shoulders.

"Lauryl, you'll get sick—"

But Lauryl yanked the towel off.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped, her voice trembling.

Nelson sighed, frustrated.

"I don't think you're in any position to get angry right now. I clearly told you not to tell her the reason behind the divorce! Look what you've caused now!"

Lauryl scoffed, her eyes flashing with pain.

"Yes! I agree, it's my fault. Yes! Everything is my fault!" she shouted, voice cracking.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

"Since this whole cheating thing happened, all I kept wishing was for you to listen to me, so I could explain! After seeing those pictures of me on the bed with another man, did you even give me a chance to talk? No! You just asked for a divorce immediately."

Tears streamed down her face.

"I—I didn't even get to say anything."

Nelson's voice was harsh.

"What's there to explain, Laur? Tell me! I saw the pictures! You, in bed with another man. Those pictures said everything!"

Lauryl let out a bitter, broken laugh.

"Typical Nelson! You never listen to the other side! You just act based on your emotions. You don't even trust me!" she yelled.

"How could I ever do something like that to you, huh? You didn't even let me explain!" Her voice cracked again as she raised it in pain.

"I'm disappointed in the man you've become! I can't believe you'd let your irrational actions break this family! If you want the divorce, then fine....go ahead! I too can't live with a man who doesn't trust me!" she screamed, and turned away, storming upstairs.

Nelson stood frozen, his hands clenched into fists. After a long, painful silence, he sighed shakily and sank into the couch, completely shattered.

In the bedroom, Lauryl sat on the bed and sobbed quietly. Her heart was breaking. No one was willing to listen to her side of the story. She wanted so badly to fix her marriage, but it was beginning to look impossible. And hurting Mira—unintentionally was the worst part.

Her phone rang. She looked at it through blurry eyes, picked it up, and put it to her ear.

"Hey," said a soft voice. It was Elizabeth—Elsa's mom.

Given their long friendship, Elizabeth already knew what had been going on. She was the only one Lauryl had confided in, the only one who knew the full truth about the so-called "cheating."

"Hey," Lauryl replied shakily.

Elizabeth sighed deeply. "Mira's here, so you don't need to worry. She came in crying and completely drenched."

Lauryl sniffled bitterly.

"I feel like this is all my fault. If I hadn't gone to that stupid reunion, none of this would've happened…" she whispered, breaking down.

"Shhh... no, Laur. None of this is your fault. Don't blame yourself," Elizabeth said gently. "He took advantage of you. He drugged you. You weren't even conscious...so please, don't do this to yourself."

"I was so scared to tell Mira," Lauryl cried. "Now my baby blames me. I'm sure she hates me right now."

"Girl... don't talk like that. I know Mirabel as much as you do. She doesn't hate you. She's just angry. Shocked. But I know she'll come around later, okay?" Elizabeth reassured her.

There was silence for a few seconds.

"Take care of her for me," Lauryl said in a choked whisper. "My baby's going through so much right now. She needs someone to comfort her."

"Of course, Lauryl. Mimi is my daughter too. Leave her to me, okay? I know she'll end up going back home by herself later, so don't worry."

"Thank you so much, Lizzy."

"No problem. I just wish Nelson would rethink all this. Please take care of yourself. I'll come over to see you tomorrow."

"Okay… Thanks," Lauryl whispered.

After a while, they hung up.

Back in Elsa's room, Mirabel had taken a warm bath and changed into cozy nightwear. She sat quietly while Elsa dried her hair. The room was silent, except for the gentle hum of the hairdryer.

Elsa's mind drifted back to the first timeline. She remembered this moment all too well, when Mira's parents were getting divorced. Mira had gone through hell. Even after everything, her parents still separated. Mira was devastated, though she never argued or protested. She quietly accepted the divorce and just… faded into silence.

She lived with her mom afterward and only visited her dad sometimes. Deep down, Mira had been broken. Everything changed overnight, and all Elsa could do back then was sit beside her best friend and console her.

Now that Elsa had lived through this once, it felt worse. Knowing how it would all end made her feel helpless, like she was trapped in the same nightmare all over again. And still, she could do nothing.

Elsa finished drying Mira's hair, set the dryer aside, and sat beside her. Mira pressed in between her thumb...a calming gesture she always did when she was anxious.

Elsa sighed softly. "Should I make you warm tea…? Just to keep you warm?"

Mira's head remained bent.

"It's fine. I'm okay… I just want to sleep," she said in a low, hoarse voice.

Elsa's heart ached. She knew Mira didn't want to talk.

"Okay… you must be really tired," Elsa replied gently.

Mira gave a weak nod and forced a smile. She climbed into bed and pulled the blanket over herself.

Elsa watched her in silence for a moment, then walked out of the room.

Her mom met her at the hallway.

"How is she?" Elizabeth asked softly.

Elsa sighed and nodded. "She wants to be alone for now. I'll just hang around and go back when she's asleep."

"I understand. She probably doesn't want to talk about it," her mom said quietly. "My poor baby… she's probably having a really hard time."

They both returned to the living room and sat down. After a while of silence Elizabeth began.

"Apparently… Lauryl and Nelson are really getting divorced," Elizabeth said.

Elsa looked up slowly.

"I don't understand why… I mean, they love each other, right? So what exactly went wrong?"

Her mom took a deep breath. "It was a misunderstanding. Remember the reunion Lauryl and I were invited to, about two months ago?"

Elsa nodded. "Yeah… what about it?"

Elizabeth began to tell a story Elsa never expected to hear....

Elizabeth leaned back, eyes distant as she spoke.

"Lauryl met her ex at the reunion. They dated from high school through college. It was a long relationship before they finally broke up and she met Nelson. His name was Damian... a quiet, introverted transfer student. Barely anyone talked to him. He was always alone, until Lauryl noticed him."

Elsa leaned in. "So she befriended him?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "Yes. Lauryl couldn't stand how isolated he was. At first, Damian kept pushing her away, but Lauryl was persistent. Eventually, they became close. Really close. That quiet boy began to shine, all because of Lauryl. He laughed more, he opened up. One day, Lauryl confessed her feelings to me, she told me she might be in love with Damian, I was so happy. I even rooted for them."

She smiled faintly, but it faded as quickly as it came.

"They started dating. It was beautiful, Elsa. They were so in love. Damian would've done anything for her."

Elsa's brows furrowed. "So... what went wrong?"

Elizabeth's face grew somber. Her voice lowered.

"He started changing drastically. The sweet, affectionate boy became someone else overnight. I noticed the way he talked to her. The way he looked at her. It made me uncomfortable. I told her… begged her to pay attention. But Lauryl was too blinded by love."

"What was he doing?" Elsa whispered.

Her mother's eyes welled with tears. "It started with arguments. Then... he slapped her during an arguement one time"

Elsa gasped sharply. "What?!"

Elizabeth nodded painfully. "He apologized immediately. Begged. And Lauryl... she forgave him. She said it was just a mistake. That he was stressed. But it didn't stop there. The abuse continued. He got angry over the smallest things. He hit her where no one could see."

"Oh my God..." Elsa breathed.

"She started avoiding me. She refused to change in front of anyone. Wouldn't even let her batch mates into her room. She hid everything so well. I suspected something was off, but I never imagined that. And to this day, I hate myself for not knowing."

Elsa reached out and held her mom's hand gently. "It's not your fault, Mama. No one would've expected that from a high school boy."

Elizabeth sniffled and nodded slowly.

"Eventually, Lauryl became so distant. Cold. I confronted her, but she kept lying—saying everything was fine. I started digging. Then I found out. When I confronted Damian, he didn't deny it. That monster just looked at me blankly."

Her voice broke.

"I told him to stay away from her. I begged Lauryl to leave him, but she was terrified. He was obsessed. Controlling. He made her feel trapped. He even applied at the same college with ours"

"He was stalking her?!" Elsa asked, horrified.

Elizabeth's voice trembled. "She finally broke up with him. Told him she was done. He agreed. For a few weeks, it seemed like he was gone. Lauryl was healing. Slowly getting her spark back. Until…"

She paused, swallowing hard.

"One night, he broke into her apartment. Beat her up. Badly. He left her covered in bruises. She tried to fight him off but he was stronger. And when he was done, he pulled out a knife."

Elsa's hand flew to her mouth. "No…"

"He told her… 'If I can't have you, nobody will. I'll kill you, then kill myself.'" Elizabeth's voice cracked. "Lauryl fought back and managed to escape, barefoot, bleeding. She ran to the nearest police station and fainted on the steps."

Tears ran freely down Elsa's cheeks now. She shook her head in disbelief. " Lauryl … went through that?"

Elizabeth nodded. "By the time I saw her in the hospital, I didn't even recognize her. Her face was swollen, bruises everywhere. Her parents pressed charges, but Damian disappeared. Vanished like a ghost."

She shook her head in grief. "Lauryl dropped out for a whole semester. She shut everyone out. It took months before she started talking again. Eventually, she met Nelson. At first, she pushed him away, scared of being hurt again. But Nelson... he was patient. Kind. He waited. And finally, she let him in."

She paused then continued "I couldn't attend tge reunion because of a work meeting. Lauryl went alone. She didn't know Damian would be there,. When she saw him, she panicked. But he came to her, said he'd changed. Said he wanted forgiveness."

"And she believed him?" Elsa asked, stunned.

"She said he seemed sincere. They talked a bit, only briefly. Everyone at the reunion was drinking, joking around. She remembers laughing with friends. Then everything goes black. The next thing she knows, she wakes up alone in a hotel bed, naked."

Elsa's stomach twisted. "Oh my God…"

Elizabeth's hands clenched. "When she got home, Nelson was waiting. He'd received pictures. Of her. In that bed. With Damian. Sent anonymously. Damian drugged her… staged everything. To make it look like she cheated."

"Jesus Christ! That's sick! That's... evil!" Elsa shouted, fists shaking.

Elizabeth nodded grimly. "Nelson was devastated. Furious. He showed her the photos and walked out. Lauryl tried to explain but… how do you explain that kind of betrayal when it looks so real?"

"Why didn't she tell him the truth? Why not fight for herself?" Elsa cried.

"She's ashamed," Elizabeth said quietly. "Damian is her deepest trauma. Nelson was her safe place. To admit everything… to reopen that scar… she couldn't. She didn't want to relive the nightmare."

Elsa looked away, tears still falling. "This is so horrible. Mira doesn't know, does she?"

"No," Elizabeth replied quickly. "And please, Elsa… don't tell her. Lauryl doesn't want Mira knowing. She wants to protect her from all this darkness."

Elsa opened her mouth to protest, but her mom gently cut in.

"Please, Elsa. Just let it be. I promised Lauryl I'd keep this between us."

After a long silence, Elsa nodded solemnly. "Okay. I won't say anything."

Elizabeth reached out and squeezed her daughter's hand. "All we can do now… is be there for Mirabel. She's hurting in ways she doesn't even understand."

Elsa nodded again, her chest tightening. She felt helpless. Once again, just like in the first timeline, Mira was suffering, and all Elsa could do was sit beside her.

"I told her mom that she's here," Elizabeth added softly. "So she wouldn't worry."

Elsa leaned back in her chair, her heart heavy, her thoughts spiraling.

So much pain… so many secrets… and all she could do was watch it unfold again.

After a while, her mom said goodnight and went back to her room. Elsa lingered around the house, buying time so Mira could fall asleep. When it was pretty late, she quietly tiptoed back to her room.

She opened the door gently and saw Mira lying down, facing away from her. The room light was still on, Elsa immediately knew Mira was pretending to be asleep. Mira never slept with the lights on.

Elsa smiled faintly, turned off the light, and crawled into bed beside her. She faced Mira's back, and the soft glow from the table lamp illuminated the room dimly. The tension in the air was thick, Elsa could feel it in her chest. She stared at Mira's back, watching her steady breathing.

With a deep sigh, Elsa slowly reached out and hugged her from behind.

Mira's eyes popped open. "Get off me, girl," she said in a low playful voice, shifting slightly.

Elsa chuckled and tightened her hold. "Nope... I'm stuck. Too bad for you," she whispered teasingly.

Mira smiled softly, a small grin creeping onto her lips.

The room fell silent again. Elsa wanted to keep Mira engaged, to stop her from sinking back into that heavy sadness. So she decided to drop something that would definitely get her attention.

"Adrian and I hung out," Elsa said suddenly.

Mira jerked up immediately, sitting upright on the bed. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, but they widened in surprise.

"What?" she exclaimed.

Elsa sat up too, smiling widely, knowing this would work.

"Why the hell would you two hang out together?" Mira asked, folding her legs beneath her and narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

Elsa shrugged. "I don't know... he offered. I didn't see anything wrong with it. Just a harmless meal."

Mira smirked. "Harmless, huh? You know ever since you two broke up, I've never really liked him again."

She picked up a teddy bear from the bed and held it in her lap. "You cried for weeks after the breakup," she added dramatically.

Elsa smiled internally, glad to see Mira's mood lifting, even if just a little.

"Oh, come on, Mii..." Elsa pouted.

"Yesss... you were a mess," Mira said with a small laugh. "You looked like a ghost. I still don't understand why you guys broke up."

Elsa chuckled. "It wasn't that bad... I was fine after, like, a week."

Mira raised a brow. "Seriously, you never even told me why you two ended things. I thought maybe you told Susan... but apparently not. You kept it from me, your own best friend."

Elsa's smile faded. She went quiet.

"What?" Mira asked softly, her tone shifting.

Elsa forced a faint smile. "Actually... I was the one who ended things."

Mira blinked, then burst into laughter. "Shut up! As if! You were obsessed with that guy. Why would you break up with him?"

Elsa sighed, memories flooding her mind. "Yeah... I was. I was head over heels. But..."

She paused.

"You know, I'm still mad you never told me the reason," Mira cut in. "You were acting so weird back then. I thought you lost your mind. You didn't tell anyone. Why would you hurt yourself like that?"

Elsa hesitated for a long moment. That memory was one she'd buried deep so deep she thought she'd never have to face it again.

"Actually... I broke up with him because of Brittany," Elsa said, fidgeting with her fingers.

Mira's brows furrowed. "Wait... Brittany Harlow? That Brittany?"

Elsa nodded. "Yeah... it started to feel like I was losing him. She was always around him. Even when I asked, he swore nothing was going on. I wanted to believe him, I really did... but every time I saw them together, I felt so uneasy."

She looked down. "I wanted to be patient, but I couldn't take it anymore. So I ended it. I couldn't stay with someone who made me feel like that."

Mira closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "Shit..."

Elsa blinked. "What?"

Mira sighed deeply. Her voice dropped. "Els... I feel like I might've had a hand in your breakup."

Elsa stared at her. "What do you mean?"

Mira hesitated before finally speaking.

"Brittany... she's Adrian's cousin."

Elsa froze for a second, then burst into laughter. "Come on, Mira. Seriously? That's the best you've got?"

Mira didn't laugh. "I'm not joking, Elsa. They're cousins. I'm serious."

Elsa's smile dropped. "What? That's not possible. He never told me that. And besides... she's Harlow. He's Vale. Different surnames."

Mira sighed. "Not all cousins have the same surnames."

Elsa stared at her, mind reeling.

"I'm so sorry," Mira said quickly. "I found out on my own too. He didn't tell me directly... but I found out. Adrian begged me not to tell you. I don't know why it's such a secret, but... yeah."

Elsa scoffed in disbelief. "I... I didn't know. God... I'm such a fool."

She hit her forehead lightly, and Mira instantly reached out and grabbed her hands.

"No, it's not your fault. You didn't know. Any girl in your shoes would've felt the same. Adrian should've told you. Don't blame yourself."

Elsa buried her face in her hands. "You're not gonna cry now, are you?" Mira teased softly.

Elsa peeked through her fingers and forced a shaky smile. "Of course not... it's all in the past, right? I'm good."

Mira looked at her carefully. "I just don't want you blaming yourself. I should have told you. I didn't think it'd go this far... I didn't know you'd actually break up over it."

Elsa turned to her, her voice a little sharp now. "You should've told me when I started complaining about their closeness. At least then I would've understood. Now I feel like Adrian probably hates me for walking out of his life like that."

Mira's shoulders slumped. She clasped her hands together and pouted. "I'm sorry, Els... please forgive me."

Elsa sighed, looking away.

Mira sighed too, her voice going low. "Fine... you can stay mad. I deserve it. But I swear I didn't mean to hide it from you. I'm really sorry."

Elsa sat there silently, her heart torn between disappointment and understanding. She couldn't change the past, even in this second timeline, it still hurt.

Mira shifted, about to lie down again, when Elsa suddenly turned toward her with a smile.

"Fine. I'm not mad anymore."

Mira lit up instantly and flung herself onto Elsa with playful kisses. "Thank you, Elsssyyy!"

Elsa laughed and tried to push her off. "Get off me, you crazy girl!"

They both giggled, their laughter echoing in the room. Mira's smile faded slowly. The weight of reality started to return but for that brief moment, Elsa had pulled her away from the pain.

Elsa took her hand gently. "You know I'm here for you, right? Always."

Mira looked at her with teary eyes and nodded.

"I promise you'll be okay. Just lean on me. Don't hold it all in."

Tears welled in Mira's eyes again. "Why aren't you asking me?" she whispered.

Elsa smiled softly. "Because I know you're not ready to talk about it. I'll wait till you are."

Mira sniffled, then nodded slowly. "Thank you."

Elsa pulled her into a gentle hug. After a while, they both lay down. Slowly, sleep began to take them.

---------

The next morning at school...

Elsa couldn't take her mind off what happened the night before, about Adrian, about the truth, and how foolish she felt. The guilt was gnawing at her more than she expected. It didn't make sense. This was the second timeline... So why did it still hurt so much?

She sat at her desk, eyes dazed, chin in her palm, her thoughts swirling like a storm. Outside the classroom window, students strolled and laughed, their voices muffled through the glass. Elsa stared blankly, her heart sinking with every breath.

Susan walked in and quietly sat beside her.

"Babess..." she said, gently tapping Elsa's shoulder.

Elsa turned her head slowly and forced a small smile. "Hey..." she muttered, then looked back out the window.

Susan watched her for a moment before speaking again, softly this time. "I heard from Mira..."

Elsa turned slightly, her fingers playing with the hem of her sleeve.

"It's not your fault, okay?" Susan continued. "You didn't know Brittany was his cousin. Any girl would've reacted the same way."

Elsa gave a faint nod, her smile tight and hollow. She appreciated Susan's words, but they didn't ease the ache.

Susan smiled, trying to comfort her, but Elsa's gaze was fixed on something else or rather, someone. Her eyes caught Adrian, standing outside near the school field. The sight of him made her chest tighten.

"You can talk it out with him," Susan said gently. "Just to clear the air. I'm not saying get back together... I'm just saying maybe it's time you both talked ,you deserve closure."

Elsa's back straightened a little as she stared at Adrian through the window. His back was turned as he stood beside the field.

Without saying a word, Elsa suddenly stood up.

Susan flinched, surprised. "Wait, where are you going?"

"I'll be back," Elsa muttered quickly and darted out of the class before Susan could respond.

Susan blinked, puzzled. "What's going on with her...?"

Elsa ran down the hallway, her eyes locked on the figure near the field. Her pace slowed the closer she got, doubt creeping in with every step. What am I even going to say to him? Is it really necessary? she asked herself.

She halted a few feet away. Her heart was racing. Do I even still have feelings for him? Why do I care so much?

After a moment of internal battle, she let out a breath and turned away. What am I doing? she thought. It's not like it changes anything now.

Elsa walked slowly through the corridor, her head bowed, deep in thought. Then — thud.

She bumped into a solid chest and staggered slightly. "Ouch," she groaned softly, rubbing her forehead.

She looked up .... and there he was.

Liam.

"Watch where you're going, miss," he said with a playful smirk, hands tucked casually in his pockets.

Elsa blinked, startled at first, but her frown quickly softened. Seeing him, it lifted her mood. "Hey..." she said quietly.

"Hii..." Liam replied with a curious smile. "You look zoned out. Are you okay?"

Elsa nodded quickly. "Of course. I'm fine — totally okay."

He raised a brow skeptically but didn't push further. "You didn't forget our group project, right?"

Elsa's eyes widened. "Oh, shoot! No, I didn't—" she paused, then chuckled, "Well... I almost did."

Liam laughed along. "Mmm, I knew it."

Elsa tilted her head with a teasing grin. "You know... I'm starting to think this assignment is just an excuse. You just want to get closer to me, huh?"

Liam chuckled and pinched the bridge of his nose, then started stepping closer. Elsa's smile faded as she instinctively stepped back.

"Is that what you think... Elsa?" he said lowly, his voice teasing but calm.

He was really close now — too close. Elsa's heart thudded in her chest. Her breath hitched.

Her hiccups started.

Oh no... not now.

Liam arched a brow, amused. "You okay?"

Elsa looked away, embarrassed, still hiccuping. "I'm fine!" she squeaked, trying to calm down. Her face was flushed red.

"You look like a tomato right now," Liam teased, laughing.

"It's just hot here!" Elsa fanned herself with her hands, trying to compose herself.

After a moment, Liam leaned casually against the wall. "So... when's our next meet-up?"

Elsa shrugged, her tone light. "Well... I don't know. Anywhere but my house."

Liam went quiet for a second, pretending to think. "Okay then... how about my house?"

Elsa scoffed. "And what makes you think I'd want to come to your house just for an assignment? We can go to a café or something."

Liam leaned closer. "Hmm... then I guess I have no choice but to show up at your house unannounced again."

Elsa's eyes widened. "Okay, fine! Your house it is!" she blurted out. "We're submitting next week anyway, so... I don't have a choice."

Liam grinned.

"But!" Elsa pointed a stern finger at him. "Don't you ever show up at my house like that again. You totally creeped me out."

He raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! I won't — jeez. I didn't know you were this scary."

"Good." Elsa crossed her arms triumphantly.

"Well then... bye," she said quickly, clearing her throat and walking off before he could say anything else.

Liam watched her go with a soft smile tugging at his lips.

On her way back to class, Elsa ran into her.

Seraphine.

Elsa's face dropped. She stopped walking as Seraphine approached her with a smug smirk and arms folded.

"Looks like you've been having fun lately," Seraphine said coolly.

Elsa scoffed. "Am I supposed to be miserable?"

Seraphine pursed her lips. "Well... you've got a point." She sighed, then added with a sharper tone, "But don't get too carried away, darling. You need to watch your back."

Elsa's expression hardened. She stepped closer. "Whatever you've got up your sleeve, leave Mira out of it, Seraphine. You'll have to deal with me first."

Seraphine laughed, her voice low and mocking. "You're so slow, you know that?"

Elsa's brow furrowed.

Seraphine leaned in slightly. "Don't you think I'm not the only one who wants to hurt you?"

"What do you mean?" Elsa asked, her voice rising slightly.

Seraphine tapped Elsa's forehead with her finger, her smile dark. "Use your head, Elsa. You really want to protect Mira with this?"

Elsa was growing more confused and more furious. "Get to the point, Seraphine. What do you mean?!"

"I don't owe you any explanations, baby." Seraphine smirked.

She turned, brushing past Elsa. As she walked away, she whispered coldly, "Good luck, Elsa."

Elsa turned to watch her leave, fists clenched tightly. The tension in her chest grew heavier. She had no idea what Seraphine meant, and that scared her more than anything.

Back in class, Elsa slumped into her seat beside Mira.

Mira raised an eyebrow. "Why do you look so annoyed? You okay?"

Elsa nodded quickly. "Yeah... it's nothing. I'm good."

Mira narrowed her eyes but didn't push. "Okayyy... So—have you packed your bag, or should I come over today and help you?"

Elsa blinked. "Pack my bag? What are you talking about?"

Mira let out a small laugh. "No way you forgot about the school trip this weekend!"

Elsa's eyes widened. "The school trip!" she gasped.

She had completely forgotten. They'd gone on this trip in the first timeline too.

"Yeah, the school trip," Mira laughed. "You totally forgot, didn't you?"

Elsa laughed awkwardly. "Of course not... I mean ...maybe a little..."

Mira smirked. "Gotcha."

"Let's pack together later today," Mira suggested.

Elsa nodded eagerly. "Yasss."