Chapter 4 – Reunion Night
(Care's POV)
Airports have a strange feeling to them.
People are always either arriving with hope or leaving with memories.
For me, tonight felt like both.
I stood near the arrival gate, my hands tucked inside the sleeves of my hoodie, watching the sliding glass doors open and close again and again. Every time they opened, my heart jumped a little.
Behind me, the group was unusually loud.
Ben was complaining about the parking fees.
"This is robbery," he muttered. "Twenty minutes and they already charged us."
Daisy rolled her eyes. "Ben, we're literally here to pick someone up, not negotiate airport economics."
Cole leaned against the railing nearby, arms crossed, silent as usual but clearly listening to everything.
Nova stood beside me, calm but watchful like always.
Ash, on the other hand, was bouncing with excitement.
"I can't believe I'm finally meeting Lyra!" she said. "Care talks about her like she's some kind of superhero."
I smiled faintly.
Lyra wasn't a superhero.
But she had been the one person who never disappeared.
My phone buzzed in my hand.
Lyra:
Just landed. Five minutes.
My chest warmed.
Five minutes.
After months of messages, calls, and late-night conversations, she was finally here.
I looked around at everyone standing with me.
Nova.
Ash.
Cole.
Ben.
Daisy.
Even the old friends had come along.
For a moment I felt something strange in my chest.
Gratitude.
Because a year ago, I wouldn't have imagined this many people standing beside me.
The sliding doors opened again.
And then I saw her.
Lyra.
Same messy hair. Same bright eyes. Same chaotic energy.
She scanned the crowd—
Then spotted me.
"CARE!"
Before I could even react, she sprinted forward.
And the next second she crashed into me in a full-force hug.
"YOU IDIOT!" she shouted, squeezing me tight. "Why are you still this skinny?! Do you not eat?!"
I laughed into her shoulder.
"I missed you too."
She pulled back and held my face dramatically.
"Wow," she said. "Still the same Care. Still the same 'I-carry-the-weight-of-the-world' expression."
Ash stepped forward immediately.
"I'm Ash!"
Lyra grinned.
"The famous Ash. The one who lives with Care."
Ash nodded proudly.
"Yes."
Lyra leaned closer to me and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"Is she the responsible one or the chaotic one?"
"Both," I said.
Everyone laughed.
Nova stepped forward next.
Lyra hugged her immediately.
"You must be Nova. Care's calm anchor."
Nova smiled softly.
"And you must be the hurricane."
Lyra smirked.
"Accurate."
Then she turned toward the rest of the group.
Her eyes scanned them curiously.
"Okay," she said dramatically. "Introduce me to the rest of Care's army."
Ben raised a hand.
"Ben. Academic rival."
Daisy crossed her arms.
"Daisy. Also rival."
Cole just nodded slightly.
"Cole."
Lyra looked between them, then slowly turned toward me.
"…You built a squad of competitors?"
I shrugged.
"Life is interesting."
Lyra laughed.
"I already love this school."
---
The Drive Home
The ride back was chaos.
Lyra refused to sit quietly.
She kept asking questions every thirty seconds.
"So who's the smartest?"
"Maybe Care.", Ash said.
"Obviously," she said.
"Second smartest?"
Ben, Daisy, and Cole all spoke at once.
"Me."
The car erupted with arguments.
Lyra leaned back laughing.
"Oh wow. This is going to be fun."
I sat near the window, watching the city lights pass by.
For the first time in a long time…
I felt light.
Like the world had paused long enough to let me breathe.
---
The Apartment
By the time we reached home, the mood had shifted from excitement to full celebration.
Ash had already prepared snacks.
Ben had somehow found cards.
Daisy organized the seating like a general planning a strategy meeting.
Lyra dropped her bag dramatically on the floor.
"Alright," she announced. "First night tradition."
Nova raised an eyebrow.
"What tradition?"
Lyra grinned.
"Truth or Dare."
Ash clapped instantly.
"Yes!"
Cole sighed.
"This is a terrible idea."
Ben grinned.
"That means we're doing it."
---
Truth or Dare Begins
Ash spun the bottle first.
It landed on Ben.
"Truth or dare?" she asked.
"Truth."
Ash leaned forward mischievously.
"Who's your biggest academic rival?"
Ben didn't hesitate.
"Care and Cole also Daisy."
I smirked.
"Expected."
Next spin.
The bottle landed on Daisy.
Lyra leaned forward immediately.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
Lyra's eyes sparkled.
"Do you like Care?"
The room went quiet.
Daisy looked straight at me.
"Of course," she said simply. "I respect her."
That answer surprised me.
And somehow… it meant more than any compliment.
Next spin.
The bottle landed on Cole.
Ash clapped excitedly.
"Dare!"
Cole rubbed his forehead.
"Fine."
Lyra leaned back, thinking.
"I dare you to say one nice thing about Care."
Ben laughed instantly.
"Impossible challenge."
Cole looked at me.
His expression softened slightly.
Then he said quietly,
"She's the strongest person I know."
The room fell silent.
Even Lyra blinked in surprise.
I didn't know what to say.
So I just smiled faintly.
Next spin.
The bottle stopped.
Pointing directly at me.
Lyra grinned like she had just won the lottery.
"Oh this is perfect."
She leaned forward dramatically.
"Care."
I sighed.
"Truth."
She tilted her head.
"Are you happy right now?"
The question was simple.
But it hit deeper than anything else tonight.
I looked around the room.
Ash laughing.
Ben arguing.
Daisy rolling her eyes.
Cole watching quietly.
Nova sitting beside me.
Lyra smiling at me like she always had.
And suddenly something in my chest tightened.
Because for so many years…
I had been alone.
But tonight…
I wasn't.
So I answered honestly.
"Yes more than happy"
---
Later That Night
The game continued for hours.
Laughter filled the apartment.
Stories were shared.
Embarrassing moments revealed.
Even Cole smiled a few times.
And the entire time…
I kept thinking the same thing.
How strange life was.
Because once, I thought I would never feel this again.
Being surrounded by people.
Being cared for.
Being loved.
I leaned back against the couch quietly while everyone continued arguing over the next dare.
Nova noticed me and nudged my shoulder.
"You okay?"
I nodded.
"Yeah more than ok. I am grateful"
But the truth was…
I was more than okay.
I watched everyone in the room.
Each person laughing.
Each person alive in this moment.
And I felt something I hadn't allowed myself to feel in years.
Gratitude.
For every second.
For every laugh.
For every person here.
Because life had taught me one thing very clearly.
Moments like this don't last forever.
And maybe…
That's exactly why they matter so much.
So I stayed there quietly.
Listening to their voices.
Smiling to myself.
And holding onto every second of this night.
---
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