Selene's gaze lingered on her father, searching for something—anything—of the man he used to be.
"Is there a reason you're standing there?" he asked flatly, not looking up from the papers in his hands.
Selene hesitated. "I… wanted to talk."
"There's nothing to talk about."
The dismissal came too quickly, too easily.
Her chest tightened. "There is. About that night—"
His hand slammed against the table.
"Don't."
The single word cut through the air like a blade.
But Selene didn't back down this time. "You can't keep pretending it didn't happen."
"I'm not pretending," he snapped, finally meeting her eyes. "I remember it better than you ever will."
The storm rose again in her mind—the wind screaming, the door bursting open, the stranger's silhouette framed in lightning.
"Stay behind me!" her mother had cried.
Selene's voice trembled. "She saved me…"
Her father let out a hollow, humorless laugh. "Yes. She did."
Silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.
"She stepped in front of you," he continued, quieter now. "She made a choice."
"I didn't ask her to!" Selene said, her voice breaking. "I was just a child!"
"And she's still gone," he replied coldly.
The words landed with quiet devastation.
Selene took a shaky step forward. "Do you really hate me that much?"
Before he could answer—
A door creaked open down the hall.
"Amara, hurry up!" a girl's voice called out, laced with irritation. "If we're late again, Professor Elric is going to make us rewrite the entire thesis."
"I'm coming!" another voice replied, followed by the sound of water sloshing. "You try braiding your hair after a bath and see how fast you are!"
Laughter echoed faintly.
Then, more loudly—
"Honestly, Lysandra, if you spent half as much time studying as you do in the bath, maybe you wouldn't be failing alchemy."
"Oh please, at least I don't fall asleep in lectures like you—"
Their voices faded into bickering as footsteps passed by, casual, ordinary… untouched by the weight in the room.
The interruption shattered the moment.
Selene and her father stood frozen, the fragile thread of their conversation snapped.
He looked away first.
"I have work to do," he muttered, gathering his papers. "Don't linger here."
Just like that, it was over.
No answer. No resolution.
Only silence.
Selene stood there a moment longer, her throat tight, her questions unanswered.
Then she turned and walked away, the distant echoes of her stepsisters' laughter trailing through the halls—so normal, so indifferent—like a life she no longer belonged to.
Selene stood frozen for a moment, watching as Amara and Lysandra stepped out of the house with effortless grace, their laughter light and careless. They called out sweet goodbyes to their parents, voices dripping with charm—so different from the venom they reserved for her.
Outside, their pink jeep gleamed under the morning sun, polished to perfection. It was a gift from their father—their father—something Selene had never even dared to ask for. The engine roared to life, and within seconds, they were gone, leaving behind nothing but the fading sound of privilege.
Selene swallowed the tightness in her chest.
She didn't have time to dwell on it.
Quickly, she turned back inside, gathering the dirty dishes with practiced speed. Plates clinked softly as she stacked them, her hands moving automatically despite the lingering sting on her cheek. Within minutes, the kitchen was spotless—just the way her stepmother demanded.
Without wasting another second, Selene grabbed her worn bag and rushed out the door.
The morning air was crisp as she ran down the street, her breath uneven, her shoes scraping against the pavement. The bus stop wasn't far—but if she missed it, there would be consequences she didn't want to face.
"Wait—please!" she called out, waving her hand as the bus began to pull away.
The driver glanced at her through the mirror and, with a reluctant sigh, stopped just long enough for her to climb aboard.
Selene stepped inside, slightly out of breath, brushing loose strands of hair from her face. A few students glanced her way before losing interest—but then—
"Selene!"
A bright, familiar voice cut through the noise.
Her eyes lit up instantly.
At the back of the bus, her best friend Lili was waving enthusiastically, a wide grin on her face. Her warm brown eyes sparkled with genuine happiness—something Selene rarely saw directed at her.
For the first time that morning, Selene smiled. A real one.
She made her way down the aisle and slid into the seat beside her.
"You almost missed it again," lili teased softly, nudging her shoulder.
Selene let out a small breathless laugh. "I know… it's been a morning."
Selene couldn't help but smile at her friend's enthusiasm, the warmth of Lily's presence washing over her like a ray of sunshine.
"Thanks, Lily," she replied, her voice tinged with relief. "I thought I was going to miss the bus for sure."
Lily laughed, her laughter a melodic sound that filled the air with joy. "You always manage to make it, no matter what," she said, nudging Selene playfully with her elbow.
"You're like our very own superhero."
Selene chuckled, the tension of the morning slowly melting away in the comfort of her friend's company.
"If only I had a cape to go with it," she joked, a playful glint in her eye.
The two friends shared a laugh as the bus rumbled along the familiar route to their school, the noise of the engine and the chatter of their fellow students fading into the background.
For in that moment, all that mattered was the bond between them, strong and unbreakable, a beacon of light in the darkness of their everyday lives.
As they approached the school gates, Lily turned to Selene with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"So, any plans for today?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
Selene shrugged, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.
"Nothing special," she replied. "Just another day in paradise, I guess."
But as she spoke the words, Selene couldn't shake the feeling that today might be different, that today might hold the promise of something new and exciting.