The cozy kitchen of Rossie's family home in the small coastal village hummed softly with the comforting aroma of freshly baked bread and a hearty vegetable stew simmering on the stove.
The worn wooden table scarred from years of family dinners and laughter, stood as a silent witness to countless moments like this - moments of warmth and refuge.
Rossie sat at the table, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of her satchel where the moonflower lay tucked safely inside. Its faint, rhythmic pulse was a quiet heartbeat against the chaos she'd left behind at Haul Academy.
The past week's events - Eli's fierce battle with the mysterious entity, Mr. Harl's unconscious state, and the creeping curse that had gripped their town - pressed heavily on her mind.
Yet, the gentle presence of her parents offered a small island of calm.
Her mother, Clara, bustled around the kitchen with practiced ease, setting plates and wiping her hands on a well-worn towel. Her dark eyes softened when she glanced at Rossie.
"Here you go, sweetheart," she said, placing a warm bowl of stew in front of her.
"You look like you haven't eaten properly in days.
How are things at that school of yours?
We've been hearing some wild rumors - black water, shadows lurking around. Sounds like something out of a ghost story."
Rossie forced a small smile, spooning the stew slowly. The warmth seeped into her, but her stomach twisted with the weight of what she wasn't saying.
"It's… been a lot," she admitted cautiously.
"There's definitely been strange things happening - more than just rumors. The academy's been chaotic, and it's starting to affect the whole town.
But I'm managing, really."
Detective James Carter, her father, sat across from her, his broad shoulders relaxed but his sharp eyes never missing a detail. His police badge lay on the table, catching the light.
"Managing?" he echoed, leaning forward, his graying hair catching the kitchen's soft glow.
"Rossie, I've been hearing reports - crops dying out of nowhere, people scared for their kids. I've been pulling extra shifts trying to piece it all together. And now you're telling me it's tied to your school?
What's really going on?"
Clara sat down beside Rossie, her hands wrapped around a steaming mug, worry etched deep in her face.
"Honey, we've been so worried about you. You've seemed distant lately, and with everything happening, we just want to know you're safe.
You can tell us anything, you know that, right?"
Rossie's spoon hovered mid-air, hesitation thick in the room. She couldn't reveal everything - not the secret garden, not the entity, not her confession to Eli. But the burden was heavy.
Finally, she sighed.
"It's hard to explain," she said softly. "There have been incidents… some students got hurt, and a teacher's in the hospital. It feels like the school's cursed or something.
But I'm not just sitting back - I've been helping, with some friends. We're trying to fix it."
James's jaw clenched, the cop in him racing through the implications.
"A teacher in the hospital? That's serious, Rossie.
And you're right in the middle of it? I've always told you - call me if things get rough. You don't have to handle this alone. I'm just a phone call away, badge or no badge.
If there's danger, I can get backup, figure out what's legal and what's not. You're my daughter - I need to protect you."
Clara reached across the table, squeezing Rossie's hand gently.
"He's right, dear. We know you're strong, but you don't have to carry this all by yourself. Your dad's seen his share of strange cases. Let us help you."
Rossie blinked back tears, the familiar comfort of her parents clashing with the secrets she held close.
"I wanted to handle it on my own," she whispered. "But… it's bigger than I thought. Maybe I should've called sooner. I just didn't want you to worry."
James's stern expression softened, replaced by a father's unconditional love.
"Worry's my job, kiddo. Next time, you pick up that phone - day or night. We'll figure it out together.
For now, eat your stew, and tell us what you can. We're here."
Rossie managed a small, grateful smile and took a bite, the tension in her chest easing just a little.
••• The meal continued with quiet conversation while her parents listened intently, unaware of the full scope but offering a lifeline she hadn't realized she needed.
The moonflower pulsed faintly beside her, a silent reminder of the battles still ahead. But for now, she let herself lean into the safety of home.
---
It was 10:15 AM on a quiet Saturday morning and the soft morning light filtered gently through the curtains of the school library.
The usual hustle and bustle of Haul Academy felt miles away here, replaced by the comforting rustle of pages turning and the faint scent of old paper mingling with the distant murmur of students recovering from the recent chaos.
Becky and Ethan had found refuge at a corner table, surrounded by scattered textbooks and notes, their bodies still weighed down by exhaustion.
The hospital ward's quiet hum echoed in their minds after visiting Ethan's unconscious uncle, Mr. Harl and the recent battles with the mysterious entity had left them both drained.
Becky sighed deeply pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she stared down at her exam results.
A barely passing grade stared back at her, mocking her efforts.
"I can't believe we just barely scraped by," she said, her voice a mix of relief, frustration, and disbelief.
"Those exams were a nightmare. And with the garden going wild, the party trap, and Uncle Harl's condition…
I barely had time to study."
Ethan leaned back in his chair, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced at his own results - another near-fail.
"Tell me about it," he said with a tired smile.
"I was up all night worrying about Uncle. Then dodging those crazy vines and shadowy things… I thought for sure I was going to flunk.
But somehow, we made it."
Becky chuckled softly, the sound lightening the heavy air between them.
"Yeah, 'somehow' is the perfect word. Every time I tried to focus on history questions, I kept picturing those silver eyes - the ones from the entity. It was like my brain just short-circuited."
Ethan's hazel eyes softened as he looked at her.
"How are you holding up, though? With everything… your family, the exams, the fights?
It's been a lot to handle."
Becky hesitated, then shrugged, her voice quieter.
"Honestly? I'm exhausted. But having you around makes it feel like I'm not drowning alone." She leaned a little closer, her elbow brushing his.
"You?"
He smiled, but there was a flicker of vulnerability in his expression. His hand moved slowly to cover hers, a brief, grounding touch before he pulled back slightly.
"It's been tough seeing Uncle like that… unconscious, possessed.
I thought I was going to lose him.
But you? You kept me sane.
I don't know what I'd have done without you."
Her heart fluttered at his words.
"I felt the same way. The exams, the battles, the chaos - it's been insane. But with you, it's like I have a lifeline. You make it bearable."
The library's quiet wrapped around them like a cocoon. Their fingers found each other, intertwining with a gentle squeeze.
Ethan's gaze softened, warmth spreading across his face as he leaned closer, his breath brushing her cheek.
"Becky," he whispered, voice low and full of feeling, "I've been wanting to say this for a long time…
You're everything to me right now."
Becky's breath caught. She tilted her head, their lips hovering just a breath apart. The noise of the school, the stress of exams, the terror of the entity - it all faded away as they closed the distance.
•••••••Their kiss started soft, tentative, then deepened, carrying the weight of all they'd endured.
When they finally pulled back, breathless, their foreheads rested together in a quiet moment of understanding. Hands still clasped, they rose and slipped toward a secluded alcove between the stacks. There, away from prying eyes, they found solace.
Clothes rustled softly as they shed the weight of their fears and doubts. Their bodies pressed close, sharing warmth and quiet promises. It was a celebration - not just of survival, but of connection, of finding each other amid the shadows that clung to Haul Academy.
Wrapped in each other's arms, the world outside ceased to exist for a little while.
In that stolen moment, Becky and Ethan found peace - and something worth fighting for.
After a while, Becky pulled back slightly, resting her head on Ethan's shoulder.
"Do you think things will ever go back to normal?" she asked softly.
Ethan sighed, his fingers tracing small circles on her back.
"I don't know. But maybe 'normal' isn't what we want anymore. We've been through too much. Maybe it's about finding a new kind of normal - one where we face whatever comes together."
She smiled, warmth spreading through her chest. "Yeah. Together."
Outside the library, the world was still recovering - students whispering about the strange events and the teachers trying to restore order. But here, in their quiet sanctuary.
Becky and Ethan had found something stronger than fear or uncertainty. They had found each other.