The school festival had finally arrived.
Colorful streamers decorated the hallways, paper lanterns swayed gently in the breeze, and excited students rushed from one classroom to another. Laughter filled the air as games, food stalls, and performances brought the school to life.
To everyone else, it was a day of celebration.
But for Ariana and Elena, it felt like the beginning of another nightmare.
Ariana stood near the classroom window, her eyes scanning the crowded courtyard below.
"You've been staring outside for ten minutes," Elena said softly. "Are you looking for Maya?"
Ariana sighed.
"I don't know what to believe anymore."
After what happened in the library, Maya's cheerful smile haunted her thoughts. That brief cold expression... it had felt unfamiliar and terrifying.
Elena took Ariana's hand.
"Until we know the truth, we shouldn't accuse anyone."
Before Ariana could reply, Maya appeared at the classroom door.
"There you are!" she said brightly.
She wore a beautiful blue festival dress and smiled exactly as she always had.
"The haunted house is short on volunteers. Can you both help?"
Ariana hesitated.
Elena squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"We'll help."
Maya's smile widened.
"Thank you!"
As they walked through the decorated corridors, Ariana couldn't stop watching Maya.
She laughed with classmates.
She complimented the decorations.
She thanked the volunteers.
She looked completely normal.
Yet the warning echoed inside Ariana's heart.
Beware of the one who hides behind a smile.
The haunted house was one of the festival's most popular attractions. Dim lights flickered through the classrooms transformed into eerie hallways.
"Elena, can you bring more props from storage?" Maya asked.
"Sure."
"I'll go with her," Ariana said quickly.
Maya shook her head.
"It's okay. Ariana, can you stay here and help me?"
Elena looked uncertain.
"I'll be back soon."
As Elena disappeared down the hallway, silence settled between Ariana and Maya.
"You don't trust me anymore, do you?" Maya asked quietly.
Ariana froze.
"I..."
"You've been avoiding me all day."
Maya's cheerful expression faded.
"If I did something wrong, tell me."
Ariana looked into her eyes.
"I found an old photograph," she whispered.
"It had four girls standing beneath cherry blossoms."
Maya's face lost all color.
"You saw it?"
"You know about it?"
Maya lowered her gaze.
"I don't remember everything."
Before Ariana could ask another question, a loud crash echoed through the school.
Students screamed.
"What happened?" Ariana gasped.
Someone rushed into the room.
"The storage room!" the student shouted. "A shelf collapsed!"
Elena.
Ariana's heart stopped.
She pushed through the crowd and ran faster than she ever had before.
"Elena!"
The hallway was filled with frightened students and teachers.
When Ariana reached the storage room, she saw Elena trapped beneath fallen boxes and broken wooden shelves.
"Ariana..."
Without hesitation, Ariana rushed forward.
"Help me move this!"
Together with several students, she lifted the heavy debris.
Elena winced in pain but managed to stand.
"You idiot," Elena whispered weakly.
"You could've been hurt."
Tears streamed down Ariana's face as she hugged her tightly.
"I thought I'd lost you."
Elena wrapped her arms around Ariana.
"You won't lose me."
At that moment, another memory flashed before Ariana's eyes.
A collapsing building.
Smoke.
Elena pushing Ariana to safety.
The sound of sirens.
A final goodbye.
Ariana gasped and clutched Elena's sleeve.
"It happened before," she whispered.
"What?"
"In our previous life..."
Tears fell freely.
"You saved me."
Elena's eyes widened.
"I remember it too."
The crowd around them faded away.
Piece by piece, their forgotten past was returning.
Meanwhile, Maya stood near the doorway.
Watching.
Her expression was unreadable.
Then Lillian appeared beside her.
"You remember now, don't you?" Lillian asked.
Maya closed her eyes.
"...I tried to stop it."
"Stop what?" Lillian demanded.
Maya looked toward Ariana and Elena.
"The tragedy."
Fear filled Lillian's voice.
"What aren't you telling us?"
Maya opened her eyes slowly.
"The person who destroyed their lives before..."
"...is already here."
Outside, the festival fireworks exploded across the evening sky.
Students cheered.
Music played.
Smiles filled every corner of the school.
But hidden beneath the celebration and laughter, dangerous truths waited to be revealed.
And fate had only just begun to rewrite its story.
To Be Continued...
