3. Accident

When Freen opened her eyes that morning, something was different. It wasn't the cold. It wasn't the morning fog. It was the light. Her heart skipped a beat as she pulled herself from bed and rushed to the window. A blanket of snow stretched out in front of her, pure and unbroken. It was cold, but there was a strange beauty in the white expanse. She stood there for a moment, simply staring at it, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Her mother had already left, as usual, so Freen ate breakfast in the silence she had come to find oddly comforting.

For once, she felt a spark of excitement for the day ahead, a warmth in her chest that made her want to face the world. If she was being honest with herself, it wasn't the snow or the day that had her feeling this way—it was the thought of seeing Becky Armstrong. And that made Freen feel... stupid.

She shook her head, trying to clear the thought. She had no reason to feel this way about Becky. None.

Freen forced herself to focus on the road as she drove to school, the snow crunching under the tires of her truck. When she arrived, she noticed there were fewer cars in the parking lot than usual. People must have been too nervous to drive on the ice.

As she pulled into a spot, her eyes scanned the lot, and there, across the snow-covered pavement, she found Becky. Their gazes locked. For a brief, fleeting moment, Freen swore she saw a flicker of happiness in Becky's eyes. But then, it was gone—replaced by something else. Something... fearful.

Before Freen could register what was happening, she heard the screech of tires.

The van.

It was coming toward her, sliding uncontrollably on the icy ground.

If this is how I die, Freen thought with bitter clarity, it would be the worst fucking way to go.

She braced herself, eyes squeezing shut as she prepared for impact. But instead of the crushing blow she was expecting, something—someone—collided with her from the side.

Freen hit the asphalt hard, her shoulder slamming into the cold ground. A sharp pain shot through her, but there was something else. Something cold, firm, and steady around her waist.

She opened her eyes and saw Becky Armstrong looming over her. One arm was wrapped tightly around Freen's waist, holding her in place, while the other was pressed against the van, stopping it from slamming into them. The vehicle had buckled around Becky's hand, the indentation deep and unmistakable.

What the actual fuck?

Freen could hear people shouting her name, but it was Becky's voice that pierced through the chaos. It was low, urgent, and more frantic than Freen had ever heard it.

"Freen? Are you alright?"

Freen could barely find her voice, her mind racing to process what had just happened. "I'm fine," she said, though it sounded strange even to her own ears. She tried to sit up but immediately realized that Becky's arm was still holding her, her body pressed against Freen's in a way that felt impossibly strong.

"Be careful," Becky warned, her voice surprisingly soft. "I think you hit your shoulder pretty hard."

With a gentle but insistent grip, Becky helped Freen to her feet, but the pain in her shoulder flared, and Freen winced. People began gathering around them, whispering in hushed tones, eyes wide with the mix of shock and curiosity. Nam was already on the phone, calling an ambulance before Freen could protest.

Fourth, his face pale, stumbled out of his van, apologizing over and over. But Freen was focused on Becky.

"How—Becky, how did you get over here so fast?"

Becky's gaze hardened, but her tone remained steady. "I was standing right next to you, Freen."

"No, you weren't," Freen insisted, still reeling from the impact and confusion. "You were by your car."

Becky's expression tightened. "No. I wasn't."

Freen's gaze bore into her, but Becky didn't look away. The chaos around them continued, but Freen couldn't focus on anything else.

"I saw you," Freen said, frustration lacing her voice.

"Freen, I was standing with you and pulled you out of the way," Becky said, her eyes flashing with something Freen couldn't quite decipher. Gold and green blended together, momentarily sparking with intensity, as if Becky was trying to communicate something crucial, something unspoken.

"No," Freen snapped, her chest tightening.

Becky's face softened, but the golden hue in her eyes remained. "Please, Freen."

"Why?" Freen asked, her voice shaky.

"Trust me," Becky pleaded, her tone gentle but unwavering.

Freen paused, her lips parting as the weight of Becky's words settled in her chest. "Will you promise to explain everything to me later?"

Becky hesitated for a long moment before snapping, "Fine." Her exasperation was evident, but there was something else beneath it—something that made Freen feel as though she had only scratched the surface of what was going on.

Becky didn't let go of her waist until the ambulance arrived. As soon as she did, the pain in Freen's shoulder flared, worse than before. The ache in her body was almost unbearable.

Becky hopped into the ambulance with Freen, and Nam squeaked in protest, but Becky shot her a look that made her step back without a word.

Before the doors closed, Freen caught sight of Becky's family standing off in the distance. Their expressions were a mix of anger and disapproval, but there was no sign of concern for their sister's safety. They only seemed focused on something Freen couldn't grasp, something that made the entire situation feel even more surreal.

****

The hospital was quiet, sterile, and full of tension. Freen sat in a bed, her shoulder bruised but thankfully not broken, while a nurse poked and prodded at her injury. Her mother burst into the room, wild-eyed and panting.

"They said you were in an accident!" she exclaimed.

"I'm fine, Mum, I promise," Freen reassured her.

Her mother looked at the nurse, who confirmed that Freen would be fine after a few painkillers and some rest.

"Fourth!" Freen said, trying to lighten the mood as he apologized profusely from the bed next to hers. "Don't worry about it. I'm alright."

Her mother kissed her forehead, muttering something about paperwork, before stepping out to handle the formalities.

Freen settled back into the bed, exhaustion weighing heavily on her. But before she could fully relax, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"So, what's the verdict?"

Freen opened her eyes and saw Becky standing at the foot of her bed.

"Nothing wrong at all. My mum's just finishing paperwork before I can leave. How come you're not strapped to a gurney?" Freen teased, trying to ease the tension.

"My dad's a doctor. All about who you know," Becky shrugged, her tone light but her eyes still intense.

After a beat of silence, Freen asked quietly, "Can we speak alone?"

Becky's jaw tightened, and she started to walk away. Freen scrambled out of bed, determined to catch up. When they turned a corner into a quiet hallway, Becky whirled around, her eyes flashing with barely contained frustration.

"What is it, Freen?" she whispered, the unfriendliness creeping back into her voice.

"You owe me an explanation," Freen said, a stubborn pout pulling at her bottom lip.

Becky's gaze hardened, her shoulders stiffening. "I saved your life—I don't owe you anything."

"You promised," Freen shot back.

Becky's expression shifted, exhaustion mixing with irritation. "What do you want from me, Freen?"

Freen took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "I want to know the truth. You weren't anywhere near me. You were four cars down."

Becky's face twisted into something unreadable. "Can't you just thank me and move on?"

Freen crossed her arms. "Okay. Thank you for using your... superpowers to save me. Now, please explain how you stopped that van from running me over."

Becky's eyes flashed. "No."

"No?" Freen echoed, her voice rising in disbelief.

"I can't explain. Just drop it."

Freen let out a sharp laugh, frustration bubbling up inside her. "You won't drop it, will you?"

Without another word, Becky stormed off, leaving Freen standing in the hallway, consumed by the mystery she was now desperately trying to understand.

That night, for the first time in weeks, Freen dreamed of Becky. And for the first time, she didn't have a nightmare.

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