The evening settled in quietly, and after hours of practice, exhaustion finally caught up with everyone.
They packed their things slowly.
Ellie, after days of struggling, had finally gotten it right.
And it showed.
A small, satisfied smile lingered on her face.
Tomorrow—
they would perform.
As they stepped out of the room, they noticed the stage was finally complete.
Julia's eyes lit up instantly.
Without wasting a second, she ran straight to the center of the stage and spun around, arms wide.
"It's done!" she said, almost glowing with excitement.
"We're performing here tomorrow!"
Theo, standing a little behind, glanced at the sky.
"It'll get dark soon," he said calmly.
"If we don't leave now, we'll be walking home blind."
Julia ignored him completely.
"Look at this place!" she continued.
"It's huge! Imagine it filled with people—"
She turned toward them, grinning.
"Are you guys not excited?!"
Ellie stepped forward slowly, her gaze moving across the empty seats.
"…Aren't you scared?" she asked quietly.
"There are going to be so many people watching us tomorrow."
Julia tilted her head.
"Scared?"
Then she smiled—confident, almost fearless.
"Why would I be?"
She pointed at all of them.
"I'm not going there alone."
Her grin widened.
"We're all going together."
She shrugged.
"So yeah… no reason to be scared."
Theo let out a small sigh.
"…She really doesn't think, does she?"
Samy smirked.
"That's why she survives. No overthinking, just vibes."
"Hey! I heard that!" Julia smacked samy in the head.
Ellie looked at them.
Then at the stage.
Then back at her team.
And for once—
the thought of tomorrow didn't feel heavy.
Ellie quietly took out her phone.
Meanwhile—
"Stop hitting me!" Samy protested, trying to block Julia's attacks.
"You deserve it!" Julia snapped, aiming another hit.
Theo stood between them, already tired.
"Both of you—can you not fight for five seconds—"
"Guys," Ellie said.
She raised her phone.
"Everyone...Smile."
"What—?" Samy turned.
Julia paused mid-swing.
Theo looked straight into the camera.
Ellie smiling holding the phone.
Click.
"…Did you just take a selfie?" Samy asked.
Ellie checked the photo. "Yep."
"where show me." asked samy.
Julia leaned over her shoulder.
"Wait—send that to me."
Theo glanced at it and sighed.
"I look like I regret my life choices."
"You always do," Samy said.
"I regret knowing you," Theo replied instantly.
Ellie looked at the photo for a second longer.
Messy.
Unplanned.
Yet perfect.
She locked her phone.
"…Let's go," she said.
They walked together for a while.
At a junction, Theo and Julia went their separate way.
"Don't be late tomorrow," Samy said.
"As if I would," Julia replied.
They waved and left.
Samy and Ellie continued a little further.
Then—
another turn.
"This is my way," Ellie said.
Samy nodded.
"See you tomorrow."
"…Yeah," she replied softly.
"Tomorrow."
She walked off.
Now—
Samy was alone.
The street had grown quieter.
Dim lights. Fewer sounds.
He walked slowly—
until something caught his eye.
From a distance—
a familiar figure.
Wolf cut.
…Amy.
She was crouched near the roadside, searching through the grass.
It was getting too dark to see clearly.
Samy walked closer, turning on his phone flashlight.
"What are you looking for?" he asked, pointing the light toward the ground.
"…I think I lost something," she said, still searching.
Samy crouched down beside her.
"Let me help."
She glanced at him—
and paused for a moment.
"…You?" she said, recognizing him.
Then, softer—
"Thank you… it's really important."
Samy started looking through the grass.
"Why are you out here alone, by the way?" he asked.
"Where's Anna? Wasn't she with you today?"
"She was," Amy replied, still focused on the ground.
"We went home together… but she left after a while."
Samy frowned slightly.
So Anna did do her job.
"…Then why come back here alone?" he asked.
Amy brushed aside some grass.
"I realized I lost something," she said quietly.
"And I think I dropped it here… we sat here for a while, it must have dropped somewhere here."
Samy then saw something reflecting, could that be he wondered and stepped towards it and realised it's just a piece of glass. The picked it up and dispossed it in a safe place elsewhere thinking it could hurt someone.
Amy was about to give up when a call came it was her father, samy got frightened for s second, he wanted amy to return home quickly it's not safe in the dark.
Having no choice she stood up giving up on her search, samy said he'll walk her home since it's not safe.
They walked together in a quiet rhythm, their footsteps soft against the empty road.
After a while, Amy spoke, trying to distract herself.
"You're performing tomorrow, right?"
Samy blinked.
"…You knew?"
She nodded slightly.
"I saw everything when I came earlier," she said.
"And even after that later… stood by the door for a while and watched you all practice."
Samy raised an eyebrow.
"…That sounds like stalking, you know."
He let out a small laugh.
"Just kidding. You could've just come in if you already came all the way to the door."
"You all looked really focused," Amy replied.
"I didn't want to interrupt."
She paused briefly, then added—
"But I'm looking forward to your performance tomorrow."
Samy scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed.
"…Yeah. Me too."
Samy curious asked
"What were you actually looking for?"
Amy paused.
For a second, she didn't answer.
Then—
"…A gift," she said quietly.
Samy looked at her.
"From my mother," she added.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"It was… really dear to me."
A small silence followed.
Then she let out a faint breath.
"But it's too late now," she said.
"I'll check once more at home… just in case."
She gave a small, almost forced smile.
"And if I don't find it…"
She shrugged.
"I'll just accept it."
Samy looked at her for a moment.
A gift from aunt Marie? He wondered.
She didn't look okay with it.
But she wasn't going back either.
They walked a little further before Samy slowed down.
They were just few distance away from uncle Joe house and so Samy stoped asked.
"This should be fine from here, right?" he asked.
"You can manage?"
Amy nodded.
"Yeah… I can."
There was a brief silence.
"…Thanks," she said softly.
Samy shrugged lightly.
"Don't mention it."
"This is far enough," Amy said.
Samy nodded.
"…Yeah."
She gave a small wave.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
She turned and walked away.
Samy stood there for a second…
watching her disappear into the dim street.
Then—
he turned and started walking in the opposite direction.
He returned to the place to search once more.
The patch of grass looked even smaller than before… and somehow harder to search.
Samy crouched down again.
"…What am I even looking for?" he muttered.
Still—
he searched.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
The night grew heavier.
The silence deeper.
Samy kept going.
Even when he wasn't sure why anymore.
"…This is stupid," he said under his breath.
"…I don't even know what I'm looking for."
Still—
he didn't stop.
Almost an hour passed.
Nothing.
He exhaled slowly.
"…She probably lost it at home."
He stood up.
"…Yeah. That makes more sense."
He turned—
then paused.
"…Just one more look."
This time, he stepped slightly further out from where they had searched before.
Near the edge.
Where the light barely reached.
Something faintly reflected.
"…Again?" he muttered.
He walked over.
It was the same piece of glass he had thrown aside earlier.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
He nudged it slightly—
and that's when he saw it.
Right beside it.
Something small.
He crouched down.
"…What's this?"
He picked it up.
A small rock.
Smooth.
Light.
He brushed off the dirt with his thumb.
Color appeared.
Paint.
A tiny cat.
Simple.
Handmade.
A little uneven.
But…
carefully done.
Samy stared at it for a moment.
"…This doesn't look like trash."
He turned it in his hand.
The paint was slightly worn.
Like it had been carried around… for a long time.
He slipped it into his pocket.
"…This must be what she was looking for."
"…I'll give it to her tomorrow."
With that thought—
he finally headed home.
The next day
Samy woke up a little late.
Anna was already in the kitchen, casually eating her breakfast.
"Aunt Marie called just now," Samy said, stretching slightly.
"She said you're taking their daughter to college again today?"
Anna nodded, unfazed.
"Yeah."
Then she added, almost casually—
"I'm going today as an alumni."
Samy paused.
"…Alumni?"
"Yeah yesterday, when I was showing her around, I met the principal," Anna continued.
"He asked me to attend today."
A small smile formed on her face.
"So I'll be watching your performance."
She took another bite.
"Try not to embarrass me with your lame performance."
Samy scoffed.
"I'm not sure who's embarrassing who."
He pulled the chair to take a seat.
"I know the kind of legacy you've left behind here."
He gave her a side glance.
"I'm honestly surprised the principal even invited you back."
He paused, then added—
"Are you sure it was a proper invitation… and you didn't threatened him into inviting you?"
Anna slowly looked up at him.
"…You really woke up and chose violence today, huh?"
Samy shrugged.
"Just stating facts."
Anna smirked.
"Well, I don't have time to deal with you today."
She stood up, brushing her hands lightly.
"I'm a special guest today, remember? So I'll let it slide."
Samy paused for a second.
"…I see."
Then casually—
"Anyway… since you're taking care of their daughter today as well, it makes things easier for me."
Anna narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…Easier how?"
Samy turned away.
"No reason."
Anna didn't press further.
Instead, she picked up her bag.
"I'm heading out," she said.
"Don't be late."
Samy waved lazily.
"Yeah, yeah."
She stopped at the door.
"And Samy?"
"Try not to trip on stage."
She left.
Samy sighed.
"…She really has no faith in me."