Page 5 of Wraith

Her words brought a fleeting smile to my lips. Elise might have been blunt and a bit self-absorbed, but she had a way of delivering compliments that felt like gospel.

“Thanks, Elise.”

“Don’t mention it. Now go knock ‘em dead—or, you know, don’t let them knock you down.”

The walk to the theater felt longer than it should have. The campus was quiet at this hour, most students huddled in their dorms or the library. As I crossed the empty quad, the click of my boot heels against the pavement echoed unnervingly loud.

The Dovetail Theater loomed ahead, its once-grand marquee now cracked and weatherworn. Posters from forgotten performances clung stubbornly to its walls, their edges curling with age. The faint glow of streetlights cast eerie shadows across its entrance, and for a moment, I hesitated.

Was this really a good idea?

But then I thought of Kael’s note, of the way my name had looked in his handwriting.This has to be it. They wouldn’t have invited me if it didn’t mean something.

The theater loomed ahead, its weathered marquee jutting out like a reminder of its forgotten past. The streetlights barely reached this part of campus, leaving the cracked pavement bathed in shadow. A faint hum of bass and laughter drifted out from inside, mingling with the cool night air. It wasn’t the eerie silence I’d been expecting, but the kind of noise that suggested… a party?

I hesitated at the door, the warped wood groaning slightly as I pushed it open. Inside, the sound hit me fully—music playing from someone’s phone, scattered conversation, bursts oflaughter. The faint scent of cheap beer hung in the air, and I caught glimpses of movement through the dim lighting.

It wasn’t the scene I’d imagined. Not by a long shot.

Lucian, Kael, Thorne, Ciaran, and Aeron were scattered across the space like kings holding court in their own private palace. A half-empty bottle of whiskey sat on a dusty makeshift table, surrounded by red solo cups and crumpled chip bags. Thorne was laughing, sprawled across a velvet chair that had probably seen its last good days decades ago. Kael leaned against the edge of the stage, flipping that stupid coin of his, while Lucian stood nearby, gesturing animatedly as he recounted some story. Ciaran sat further back, more subdued, a cigarette balanced between his fingers, the ember glowing faintly. Aeron was perched on the stage steps, his dark eyes skimming over a book, barely paying attention to the others.

They looked so… at ease. Carefree. Like this wasn’t the first time they’d gathered here to unwind. Like I hadn’t even crossed their minds.

I took a cautious step forward, clearing my throat to announce my presence. “Hey… you asked me to come?”

Five heads turned at once, the weight of their collective gaze nearly knocking the breath from my lungs. Lucian’s grin faltered for just a moment before it curved into something sharper, crueler. “Oh, look who actually showed up,” he said, tipping his cup toward me in mock salute.

Kael’s coin caught the light as he flicked it into the air. “Didn’t think you’d actually have the guts,” he drawled, catching it with a smirk.

“I—I thought…” My words faltered, the flicker of hope I’d carried all the way here starting to dim. “You said you wanted to talk.”

Thorne let out a low laugh, his voice dripping with condescension. “Talk? Oh, sweetheart, is that what you thought this was?”

Heat flushed my cheeks, embarrassment crawling under my skin. I took another step forward, desperate to salvage the moment. “I just… I thought maybe we could clear the air. I know things have been?—”

“Awkward?” Kael interrupted, his tone mocking. “Tense? Painfully one-sided?”

Lucian leaned back against the stage, taking a slow sip from his cup. “You’re really something, Lily,” he said, shaking his head. “Always holding on to these… fantasies.”

My chest tightened as their laughter rose around me, bouncing off the walls of the theater like an echo chamber of my worst fears. “It’s not a fantasy,” I said quietly, though my voice wavered. “I just… I thought maybe we could start over.”

“Start over?” Thorne sneered, standing to his full height and sauntering toward me. “And why would we want to do that?”

Each word felt like a dagger, piercing the fragile hope I’d carried with me. “Because…” My voice cracked. I took a deep breath before continuing. “Because we’re supposed to be?—”

“Don’t,” Ciaran interrupted, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. He didn’t even look up from his cigarette, but the cold finality in his tone stopped me in my tracks. “Just don’t.”

I froze, his dismissal hitting harder than any of the others’ taunts. My gaze darted between them, searching for any glimmer of softness, of sincerity. But there was nothing. Just smirks and indifference.

Aeron finally closed his book, his expression unreadable as he met my gaze for the briefest of moments. “You should go,” he said quietly. No malice, no mockery—just an observation. Like I wasn’t worth the time it would take to argue.

My throat burned as I struggled to hold back tears. “Why did you even invite me here?” I demanded, my voice rising in desperation. “Just to humiliate me?”

Lucian’s smirk widened. “Maybe. Or maybe we were just bored.”

Kael laughed, flipping his coin again. “Consider it entertainment. I wanted to see if you learned better yet.”

I stumbled back a step, the weight of their words crashing over me like a tidal wave. My hands trembled as I clutched the straps of my bag, my knuckles whitening with the effort to steady myself. The room blurred, tears welling in my eyes as their laughter echoed around me, sharp and cutting.

---