It was supposed to be just another walk home.
But the moment I stepped out of the gate, I felt it—that strange, prickling feeling at the back of my neck, like the shadows were watching.
I tightened my grip on the strap of my bag, quickened my steps, and did what I always did when my mind began spiraling—I reminded myself that I was safe. That it was probably just stress, paranoia, exhaustion. I had just escaped a weird dream world where I was kissing Kade and floating in candlelight. Everything in the real world was supposed to feel grounded now. Logical.
But it didn't.
I could feel the presence before I even saw it.
A black car. Parked across the street. No one inside—or maybe someone was there, hiding in the shadows behind tinted windows. Either way, it hadn't been there earlier. I was sure of it.
My heartbeat ticked faster.
I forced myself to breathe, to focus. Maybe it was just a random car. A neighbor's guest. Someone passing through.
But something told me otherwise.
By the time I made it home, I'd glanced back over my shoulder four times. Locked the door twice. Drew the curtains immediately.
I was halfway through changing into my pajamas when my phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
I froze.
And then it buzzed again—this time, a message:
"Meet me at La Vida Café. 7 PM. I knew Luna. Come alone."
Luna.
The name hit me like an electric jolt.
I stared at the message, heart thudding. I should've deleted it. Ignored it. Blocked the number.
But I didn't.
The café was nearly empty by the time I got there. A soft jazz track played low in the background, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around me like a blanket. I spotted her immediately—a woman with long black braids and deep brown eyes that seemed to know too much.
She didn't wave. She just… watched me.
I slid into the booth across from her, unsure whether to speak first.
"I wasn't sure you'd come," she said, finally.
"I almost didn't," I admitted.
Her lips curved slightly, but it wasn't a smile—it was… acknowledgment. "You look just like her."
"Luna?"
She nodded. "Down to the stubborn jaw."
My stomach tightened. "Who are you?"
"I'm Iris. I knew Luna. We were friends, in a way." She paused. "I was there the night she died."
My breath caught. "How did she die?"
Her gaze dropped to the mug in front of her. "That's complicated."
"I need answers," I said. "No more cryptic messages or staring at me like I'm some ghost."
She studied me for a long time, then leaned in. "You're not a ghost, Arielle. But you're not just a girl, either. You're a continuation. A thread. Her soul didn't end—it just… shifted."
My throat tightened. "You mean reincarnation."
She nodded. "Yes."
I shook my head slowly. "That's insane."
"Maybe. But you've seen things, haven't you? Felt things you can't explain? Memories that don't belong to you?"
The room felt smaller. My skin tingled.
"Yes," I whispered.
"I believe Luna's death wasn't an accident," Iris said. "And if you're really carrying her soul… then you might be in danger, too."
I didn't realize I was shaking until she reached across the table and gently placed a small flash drive in my hand.
"What's this?"
"Proof. It belonged to Luna. She hid it the night everything went wrong." She lowered her voice. "You need to see what's on it. But do it somewhere safe."
I tucked it into my bag with trembling fingers. "Why are you helping me?"
"Because I failed her," she said quietly. "And I won't fail you."
As I stepped out of the café into the cool night air, my phone buzzed again.
Kade.
I hesitated, then answered.
"Where are you?" His voice was urgent.
"Why do you care?"
"You're being watched. I need to talk to you. Now."
My stomach dropped. "So it's true. I saw the car earlier—"
"Don't talk over the phone," he cut in. "They might be listening. Just… come to the greenhouse."
I almost said no. I almost ran the other way.
But then I remembered Iris's voice:
"You might be in danger too."
The greenhouse was dimly lit when I got there. It smelled of wet leaves and earth. I stepped inside slowly, the weight of the flash drive in my pocket like a stone.
Kade was already there, leaning against a table, his eyes shadowed but alert.
"I know you're mad at me," he began, "but there's something you need to understand."
"You knew her," I said, stepping closer. "Didn't you?"
He didn't answer immediately. Just stared at me with that same unreadable expression he always wore when he was holding something back.
"Kade."
"Yes. I knew Luna."
The words felt like a slap. I blinked hard. "And you didn't think to mention that earlier?"
"I didn't know how," he said. "You weren't ready."
"Ready for what?" I demanded. "That I'm some... reincarnated version of a girl who died under mysterious circumstances? That I'm walking around with someone else's soul and no idea what the hell is going on?"
His jaw clenched. "Yes. Exactly that."
My breath came fast. The air between us pulsed with tension.
"Then help me," I said. "Tell me what you know."
His voice lowered. "It's not that simple."
"It never is," I whispered. "But I'm done being kept in the dark."
We stared at each other. The truth was laid bare now, raw and terrifying.
"Iris gave me this." I pulled out the flash drive and held it up. "She said it's proof. About Luna. About everything."
Kade stepped forward, his eyes on the drive. "Then we open it. Together."
"No more lies?" I asked, my voice breaking.
He met my gaze. "No more lies."
And in that moment, under the dim greenhouse lights and the weight of a hundred truths unspoken, I realized two things:
One — I was in deeper than I could've ever imagined.
Two — Kade could be the key to everything…
Or the one who destroyed me.