Under the soft glow of candlelight, the school paid their respects to Garry, a beloved friend to some, a classmate to some and a bully to others. The air was heavy with grief as they shared stories and memories of Garry. Who would have known he had a good side….I stood silently amidst the flickering flames, my heart heavy with sorrow. I still couldn't believe Garry was gone. Nico stood over the other side of the crowd and held up his candlelight in deep remembrance and agony."He wasn't so bad after all," Ariana let the tears form in her eyes as she listened to the students talk about Garry. I knew she reminisced the other day on the bus when they were on each other's necks.I reached out and held her hand. She wasn't the only person who felt bad about not being able to see the good side of Garry, I was too.Although the gathering was spearheaded by family, friends and acquaintances, I somehow still had an eerie feeling that the hunter was close by and he was going to act again. "I

8 months ago…….in Trento"Forget about such feelings girl, guys like Josh only hang out with hot chicks like Diana." Kelvin wasn't helping issues by indirectly telling me I wasn't cool enough for Josh but he wasn't trying to paint it to my taste either. He was right, Josh was out of my league and I had no chance with him."You don't have to be so blunt you know," Clara glared at Kelvin "Gabriella is as beautiful as Diana, if not way more beautiful."I smiled at Clara who had my back ever since huge Harwy played a prank on me by pouring red sauce on my chair in grade five."No, Kelvin is right…I am not as classy as Diana. I shouldn't be way ahead of myself. Wishing for things that are out of my league." I closed the door on any possibility of being with Josh, severing every thread of hope."Nonsense," Lucy walked into the cafeteria with her tray of food. "You are as good for Josh as Kelvin is as good for Barbara.""Hey," Kelvin intercepted "I never mentioned anything about liking Barba

My fingers trembled as I dialled my Dad's number for the umpteenth time. The relentless ringing echoed in my ears, each unanswered call deepening my anxiety. My heart pounded like a drum against my ribs, its rhythm echoing the unanswered questions that plagued my mind. Why had Dad gone to Trento, their former home, without telling me? Why was he avoiding my calls?A wave of frustration washed over me, momentarily drowning out my worries. I dropped my phone down on the table and decided to take things one step at a time. I would visit home and then I would speak with Dad.My thoughts drifted back to my recent conversation with Clara. She had gone on and on and on about how she thought Nico might be my soul mate. I had advised her that she shouldn't keep her hopes up, not even for me because the boy in question didn't think of me in that manner. She assured me that she knew true love when she saw one. It wasn't a conversation to debate because I didn't want to put my effort into it, I w

"Who is she, Dad?" I asked him as we got onto the bus heading back to New Orleans."The woman back at the cemetery?" I nodded. "She is no one, just a person that likes meddling in other people's business. She does that to everybody. She is more like a mental case." He said dismissively.His eyes gave him away, his mouth and the rate of how his breath paced all gave him away. He said a lot of things about the woman but failed to mention the truth. I could tell he was lying. It was the way he stared into space as he looked out the window, it was the way he repeatedly shook his head and clenched his fist, it was the way he took deep breaths now and then and also avoided meeting my eyes.Something was bothering Dad, and it was here in Trento. I had recalled how he sent this same 'Elena' out from the house when people came to give their condolences. She had said something about me finding out something soon no matter how Dad tried to protect me.What was he trying to protect me from? Or ra

The finishing touches fell into place as Ariana carefully applied the final stroke of lipstick to my lips. Her eyes, already sparkling with anticipation, met my gaze in the mirror. "You look absolutely stunning, Ella," Ariana breathed, her voice filled with awe.But my stomach churned with a different kind of excitement, a nervous flutter that had settled there ever since Michael had asked me to the ball. The grand ballroom, a place I had only ever dreamed of entering, loomed large in my imagination, filled with swirling gowns, elegant waltzes, and countless pairs of watchful eyes.Ariana, sensing my apprehension, placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't be nervous, Ella," she said, her voice warm and reassuring. "Just have fun. Michael is a great guy, and I know you'll have a magical night."Taking a deep breath, I tried to quell the butterflies in my stomach. I knew Ariana was right. This was a night to remember, a night to step outside my comfort zone and embrace the magic o