Between Bruises and Butterflies

CUT TO: CLASSROOM — WEDNESDAY MORNING

The classroom hums with chatter, but it's quieter than usual. The weight of the previous weeks lingers like a storm cloud. Sienna sits at her desk, chin resting on her hand, eyes unfocused as she watches raindrops trickle down the window.

Jayjay leans over, tapping her notebook with his pen.

JAYJAY: Earth to Siea.

Sienna blinks, snapping out of her haze.

SIENNA: Huh?

JAYJAY: You've been staring at the window like it personally insulted you.

SIENNA: (dryly) Maybe it did.

Jayjay snorts, but his grin fades when he sees the dark circles under her eyes. Damien watches them from across the room, his usual scowl etched deeper than usual. Zephyr taps his fingers on the desk, restless.

Ms. Clarke walks in, slamming her books onto the desk.

MS. CLARKE: Good morning, sleep-deprived gremlins. Today, we're tearing apart Shakespeare's Macbeth like vultures on roadkill.

Cass raises a hand lazily.

CASS: Can we be the witches?

MS. CLARKE: You already are.

Sienna barely hears the class dissolve into laughter. Her chest feels tight again, like something invisible is wrapping around her ribs. She clenches her fists under the desk, nails digging into her palms.

The voice from that night still echoes in her head.

CUT TO: CAFETERIA — LUNCH BREAK

The cafeteria is buzzing, but Sienna barely registers the noise as she picks at her food.

Jayjay, Cass, Theo, and Zion surround her, deep in conversation.

JAYJAY: What do you wanna do this Sunday?

Sienna pauses.

SIENNA: Sunday?

CASS: Yeah. We should do something fun.

ZION: (grinning) Or do nothing at all.

THEO: We could just hang out at someone's place.

JAYJAY: (smirking) We could crash at Sienna's house.

Sienna nearly chokes on her juice.

SIENNA: Absolutely not.

ZION: Why not? I'm curious what kind of chaos your room holds.

SIENNA: (deadpan) You wouldn't survive it.

CASS: (laughing) Okay, fine. What if we just... watch movies and order junk food?

Sienna hesitates, picking at the edge of her bandage.

That actually sounds nice.

SIENNA: (quietly) I guess that's okay.

Jayjay throws his arms in the air like he won a championship.

JAYJAY: Victory!

Damien, who's been silently eating, glances up.

DAMIEN: Are you guys seriously planning a Sunday hangout like nothing's happening?

ZEPHYR: What else are we supposed to do? Sit around and panic?

ZION: (smirking) Maybe Damien just wants alone time with Sienna.

Damien flicks a fry at him.

CUT TO: LIBRARY — AFTER SCHOOL

The library is dim, the hum of computers and faint whispers filling the space. Ivy and Caleb are buried in books and wires, their usual chaotic energy dulled by focus.

Zephyr drops into a chair across from them, legs swinging.

ZEPHYR: Any luck with the necklace?

Ivy twists her hair around her finger, eyes locked on a small circuit board.

IVY: It's broken.

CALEB: (grinning) But broken things can be fixed.

Damien leans against a bookshelf, arms crossed.

DAMIEN: How long?

IVY: A week. Maybe two.

Damien's jaw tightens.

ZEPHYR: It's better than nothing.

CALEB: And hey, it's kinda fun. Like a side quest.

DAMIEN: Sienna's life isn't a game.

Ivy's expression softens.

IVY: We know. That's why we're doing this.

Damien exhales slowly, rubbing the back of his neck.

DAMIEN: Just... work fast.

CUT TO: SIENNA'S BEDROOM — NIGHT

Sienna lies in bed, the glow of her galaxy-shaped fairy lights casting a soft purple hue across her room. Her phone buzzes, and she grabs it, heart pounding.

It's Jayjay.

JAYJAY (TEXT): Movie night plans: horror or rom-com?

Sienna smiles faintly, tension loosening in her chest.

SIENNA (TEXT): Horror.

She puts her phone down, curling into her blankets. For the first time in days, she feels like maybe, just maybe, she can breathe.

Outside her window, a shadow lingers.

Watching.

Waiting.

TO BE CONTINUED...