The cabin sat where it always had. Tucked between tall trees and uneven ground, far enough from the main buildings to feel unofficial, but close enough that no one pretended it was forbidden.
Lights spilled from the windows, warm and loud. Music thudded against the walls, bass heavy enough to vibrate through the dirt beneath Zane's shoes as he approached. Laughter floated out in bursts, careless and sharp.
A welcome back party. As if anyone needed welcoming.
Zane could not exactly pinpoint why his emotions had been heightened ever since the so called family rites he had participated in during the summer. All he knew was that he did not feel like himself.
Zane slowed near the steps, watching people come and go. Some faces he recognised instantly. Others blurred together, expensive clothes, familiar confidence, the kind that came from knowing you belonged here.
He exhaled and went in.
The smell hit first. Wood polish, something sweet, something burnt. The cabin was fuller than he expected. Furniture pushed back, bodies filling the space instead. Someone shouted his name from across the room. Zane lifted a hand in acknowledgement but did not move towards them.
His eyes scanned the room out of habit.
He made eye contact with Karl, who nudged his head forward, urging him to come sit with him. Zane was just about to move when he spotted Lilian standing a few feet from Karl, laughing at something someone nearby had said.
The reaction came instantly and made no sense to him.
For a split second, the world tilted.
His heartbeat stuttered, then surged, too fast, too loud. Something sharp and restless stirred beneath his skin, rising before his thoughts could catch up — instinctive, demanding, wrong.
"Why is this happening to me," he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening as he fought the urge to move.
Karl noticed.
He stepped closer and leaned in just enough to be heard.
"Calm down. Not here."
The words grounded him.
Zane reached for a beer from the table, downed half of it without tasting anything, then turned and pushed his way back outside. He did not stop until the trees swallowed the cabin lights.
He needed air.
He needed space.
He needed to clear his head.
...
Mirabel stood before her mirror, the soft glow of the lamp casting a gentle light across her room. She dressed carefully, choosing a black short and a pink halter neck, pairing them with pink sneakers for a look that was both confident and playful.
Once she was ready, she made her way to Avelyn's dorm. The evening air was crisp, and the excitement of the upcoming party was already buzzing in her mind. She knew that bringing Avelyn along would serve her purpose,making sure that Lilian felt the shift in dynamics and understood that she was not to be underestimated.
When Mirabel reached Avelyn's door, she knocked gently, her smile warm and inviting. Avelyn opened the door with a hint of hesitation, but Mirabel's charm quickly put her at ease.
"Do I know you" Avelyn asked looking at the unknown smiling face in front of her.
"Oh sorry, I don't think we've met but I saw you in class today. I'm Mirabel." The girl replied
"Hi Mirabel, you must have missed lily, she just went with a Karl to the party" Avelyn said and Mirabel's fist clenched at the mention of Karl but she didn't let the anger show on her face.
"I know she went with Karl, Karl is my friend, I've got no one to go with and you're the only one available that's why I'm here" Mirabel said but Avelyn was still hesitant.
"Come on," Mirabel encouraged, "you'll have a great time, and we'll stick together."
Avelyn didn't know how but her words sounded reassuring.
"Come in and wait while I get dressed" Avelyn invited her into her room while she held the door open.
Mirabel stepped into the room and sat by the bed while Avelyn dressed up, she wore a black short gown with a knee length black boot, did no make up and packed her hair in a ponytail.She then took out a perfume bottle from of the drawers,sprayed it on her self, Mirabel watched the motion closely, eyes flicking to the bottle before she looked away again.
" If we are to hangout more then I'll teach you how to do makeup " Mirabel said
"I actually do makeup but I don't want to lily's shine so I opt for my natural look" Avelyn replied.
"You don't need to dim your light cause of a friend yunno, you both can do makeup and still look good" Mirabel advised
"I'll think about it. I'm done let's go" Avelyn said and they both got out of the room and head towards the cabin in the woods.
After some minutes of walking, they arrived at the cabin, music buzzing and people talking and drinking.
"Here we are, do you drink?" Mirabel said but Avelyn was busy eye searching for Lilian so she didn't hear.
Mirabel tapped her on her shoulder getting her attention.
"Are you okay? I asked if you drink" Mirabel repeated her question and when Avelyn nodded, she passed her a beer.
Still, Avelyn was feeling uneasy. She's scared of Lilian's reaction if she were to see her at the party but then she hasn't seen her nor Zane and a part of her is calm.
"This senior year is just too different, first comes the family rites and then the changes….." Mirabel said hoping to strike a conversation but seeing the confused look on Avelyn's face, she realized she might have said too much.
"So scholarship huh, let me hear the story behind it" She said trying to bring up a new topic to talk about.
"So complicated, wouldn't want to go in details" Avelyn replied and it was awkwardly quiet between them.
Apart from the speakers blasting music, some girls who were present during the fight in the girl's dorm giving Avelyn some looks and some drunk students embarrassing theirselves, it felt boring to the both of them, for Avelyn she thought it'd have been more lively if she was with Lilian while Mirabel felt stucked cause she promised she'd stay by Avelyn's side at the party and she's not really as interesting as she thought, even the Lilian she was hoping to make jealous is nowhere to be found and she's gulped down the whole beer bottle hoping to get drunk but she isn't. Alcohol never worked the way it used to.