You push through the school doors, the noise of the morning rush washing over you — lockers slamming, shoes squeaking, whispers already flying. It’s your first day back since everything changed.

You spot her right away. Hanna, standing near your old lockers, arms crossed, eyes scanning the hallway like she’s expecting someone who won’t show.

She sees you and straightens a little. There’s a flicker of relief in her face.

“Hey,” she says, her voice softer than usual. “It’s weird, right? Being back. Without her.”

She doesn’t have to say Allison’s name. You both feel the space she left behind.