Chapter Fifteen: Reflections

Faye couldn't remember the last time she had a day that felt normal. Between Edward's presence—both magnetic and maddening—and the slow unraveling of her once-quiet world, she felt like her life was teetering between dream and chaos. So, in an attempt to anchor herself, she decided to tackle something productive: redecorating her room.

She tied her hair back and stared at the faded lavender walls and cluttered desk. Her room hadn't changed since she was fourteen, and it felt too childish now. With a deep breath, she started pulling things off the walls: posters of movies she didn't care about anymore, random postcards she'd pinned up but never really looked at. She swept everything off her desk into a box, leaving only her laptop and a blank notebook.

As she moved to her closet, her fingers brushed against an old cardboard box tucked into the corner, one she hadn't opened in years. It had her name scribbled on the lid in crooked black marker—her own handwriting from a younger, messier time. Curiosity stirred in her chest as she dragged it out and sat cross-legged on the floor.

The lid came off with a puff of dust, and suddenly, she was staring at fragments of her childhood. Polaroid photos, ticket stubs, faded notes written on scraps of paper. Her lips quirked into a small smile as she sifted through the memories, each one tugging at something deep inside her.

A particular photo caught her eye, one of her and a boy sitting on the steps of her porch. She couldn't have been older than ten. He was holding a melted popsicle, and she was laughing so hard her head was tilted back, her hair falling into her face. That was from the summer they tried to sell lemonade and ended up drinking half the supply themselves.

Underneath the photo was something soft. She pulled out a small plush bear with a slightly lopsided head, its fur worn from years of being hugged too tightly. He'd won it for her at the summer carnival that same year, spending all his tickets on one game just to get the prize she wanted.

The warmth of the memory wrapped around her like a blanket, and she could almost hear his voice, teasing her about how she'd named the bear "Wobbles" because of its uneven stitching. For a moment, Faye just sat there, clutching the bear, lost in the simplicity of that time. It was so easy back then, so free of complications.

A soft knock at her door jolted her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Edward leaning casually against the doorframe, his expression unreadable but his golden eyes warm.

"You've been quiet," he said, stepping into the room. "I was beginning to think you'd disappeared."

"I've just been cleaning," Faye replied, setting the plush bear on her bed. Edward's gaze flickered to the box on the floor, and she saw the curiosity in his eyes, though he didn't say anything.

As she stood to stretch, Edward picked up the photo from her desk—the one of her and the boy on the porch. He tilted his head, studying it. "Who's this?" he asked casually, though she didn't miss the slight edge of curiosity in his tone.

"A friend," she said simply, taking the photo back from him and tucking it into the corner of her mirror. She didn't elaborate, and Edward didn't press, though she felt his gaze linger on the picture for a moment longer before he turned back to her.

"It's nice," he said finally, his voice softer now. "That you have those kinds of memories."

She nodded, unsure how to respond. She didn't want to explain the history, the years of shared summers and secrets, the slow drifting apart. It felt too personal, too fragile to put into words. Instead, she changed the subject. "What about you? Do you ever get nostalgic for... I don't know, centuries ago?"

Edward smirked at her deflection but played along. "Nostalgic might be the wrong word. Most of my memories are... let's just say they're not worth revisiting."

The mood shifted slightly, and Faye could sense the weight behind his words. But before she could ask more, her phone buzzed on her desk, snapping them both out of the moment. She glanced at the screen to see a text from Ava.

We need to talk. Meet me in the library tomorrow at lunch.

Faye sighed, rubbing her temple. "I think Ava's still mad at me."

Edward arched a brow. "For what?"

"For... everything, apparently," Faye muttered, feeling the familiar churn of guilt in her stomach. "She's upset I didn't tell her about you. And I guess I've been distant lately."

Edward's expression darkened slightly, though he masked it with a small smile. "It's not your fault. She'll understand eventually."

"Maybe," Faye said. But deep down, she wasn't sure. Ava's sharp words from earlier in the week still echoed in her head. You've changed. And not in a good way.

Edward reached for her hand, his touch cool but grounding. "If she's a real friend, she'll come around. Give her time."

Faye nodded, though the knot in her chest didn't loosen. For now, she pushed the thought aside, letting Edward's presence steady her. She glanced at the photo on her mirror one last time before turning back to him, ready to focus on anything but the growing conflicts that seemed to be closing in on her life.

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The next morning, Faye felt a knot of apprehension tightening in her chest as she walked through the school doors. Her conversation with Ava had been weighing on her all night. Ava wasn't just her best friend—she was the one person who had stood by her through everything. Losing that connection wasn't something Faye could stomach.

Still, the tension between them had been building for weeks. Ava had noticed the changes in her, the secrets Faye was keeping. And though she couldn't exactly explain why she was keeping those secrets, Faye knew she owed Ava something—if not an explanation, then at least an honest attempt to make things right.

By the time lunch rolled around, Faye found herself standing outside the library, clutching her phone tightly in her hand. Ava was already inside, seated at one of the tables near the back. Her arms were crossed, her expression hard to read, though her tapping fingers betrayed her impatience.

Faye slid into the chair across from her, her palms suddenly clammy. "Hey."

Ava didn't respond right away, her eyes flicking up to meet Faye's with a mixture of hurt and frustration. Finally, she spoke. "You've been avoiding me."

"I haven't been avoiding you," Faye replied, though the words felt hollow even as she said them. "I've just... had a lot going on."

Ava snorted. "Yeah, I can see that. Edward Cullen, for one." Her voice carried an edge that made Faye flinch. "You couldn't even tell me you were talking to him? That you've been spending all this time with him?"

"It's not like that," Faye said quickly, though she knew how it looked. "I just... I didn't know how to explain it."

"Explain what?" Ava leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "That you're ditching me for some guy you barely know? That you've turned into someone who doesn't even talk to me anymore?"

Faye felt the sting of those words, guilt washing over her in waves. "It's not about ditching you," she said quietly. "I don't want to push you away, Ava. I just... I don't know how to balance everything right now. Things are complicated."

Ava's gaze softened slightly, though her shoulders remained tense. "Complicated how? You're not telling me something. I can feel it."

Faye hesitated, her mind racing for an answer that wouldn't betray Edward's trust. "It's... personal," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "I wish I could tell you everything, but I can't. Not yet."

Ava studied her for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Okay. I'll let it go—for now. But if you keep shutting me out, Faye, I don't know how long I can keep waiting."

The words felt like a warning, and Faye nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I understand. I'll do better."

The tension between them didn't dissolve completely, but when Ava offered a small smile, Faye felt a flicker of hope. Maybe things weren't as broken as they seemed.

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The rest of the day passed in a blur, though Faye couldn't shake the lingering heaviness from her conversation with Ava. By the time she got home, her mind was buzzing with a million thoughts, each one louder than the last.

She busied herself with her room again, trying to keep her hands occupied so her mind wouldn't spiral. She rearranged her desk, hung a few prints on the walls, and carefully placed the plush bear on her freshly made bed. The photo of her and her childhood friend was still propped against the mirror, catching her eye every so often.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, and she grabbed it without thinking. It was Ava again, this time with a lighter tone.

We good? the text read.

Faye's lips curved into a small smile as she typed back, Yeah. We're good.

The relief was short-lived, though, as her thoughts drifted back to the photo. She found herself wondering about him—her old friend. They'd been so close once, practically inseparable, but life had pulled them in different directions. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd seen him. Maybe it was for the best, she thought. Some things were meant to stay in the past.

But deep down, she couldn't ignore the flicker of curiosity, the quiet voice in her head wondering what he was up to now. Was he still the same? Did he ever think about her, the way she sometimes thought about him?

She didn't realize how lost in thought she was until her phone buzzed again. This time, it was Edward.

I'll pick you up tomorrow morning, the text read. Bright and early.

She smiled, the familiar warmth of his presence settling over her, even from a distance.

For now, she let herself focus on that, on the growing comfort between them. But in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that her past wasn't as far away as she thought—and it might not stay there for long.

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