𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄, apply fic

𝙞𝙭. feels like we're home

( MIREN'S POV )

I'M SICK OF this place. I want out. I did not sign up for emotional damage when I agreed to join our field trip. Dealing with surfacing traumatic memories is way above my pay grade.

"Miren? What's wrong?" Giovani asks, kneeling down beside me. He took the wooden piece, tracing the engraved message.

     I knew much, much better than to burden them with this. With something that was my fault. I could mask it up. They'd believe it. My parents always do. I'll come up with an excuse, and we'll never have to talk about my brother.

     "Nothing, I think I just pricked myself a little, the edges aren't really smooth," I say, composing myself. If your facade's thick enough, they wont notice a thing. "Let's take this back to everyone else, maybe they know what to do with it."

     Giovani nodded, oblivious. Nayari nodded with caution, but she didn't ask about it.

     I didn't look back at Issac. He'd know.

     Nayari and I walked up to the gap where we entered. I let her slide through first, before going immediately after her. The chatter of the group outside was silenced.

     "Did you find it?" Haven asked, pausing her conversation with Peter.

     Aria had just finished tying off the second braid in Mateo's hair. There were streaks of his hair flying out, while the rest was messily bound together. Aria looked so proud of herself, with her soft smile and glistening eyes and the happiness I could feel she was radiating, and she looked like a little angel and I wanted more than anything to hug her and absorb some of her happiness—but I couldn't, because everyone else would figure out that something was wrong. I faked a smile instead.

     "Yeah, we did," Nayari says. I stepped aside to let Giovani and Issac through the slit.

     "Cute hair," Issac complimented. He looked over to Aria, slightly pointing his finger towards the Latino boy beside her and saying something along the lines of did you do that? She nodded in response.

Mateo felt the braids, letting his hands slide down them. "Thanks, man."

Giovani tiptoed behind Issac, tossing the piece of wood towards Haven, who managed to catch it with one swift motion of her hand. Peter looked impressed, kind of, in his own weird way.

"It's all been for you. Does that mean anything to anyone?"

I wanted to say yes. I should say yes.

"It doesn't mean anything to the four of us," Issac started to say. I needed to thank him later. I surely thought he would sense something was wrong with me and out me.

Aria and Mateo both shake their heads in denial. Peter was busy tying his shoelaces, but I could tell that was a no from him, too. Haven's hope diminished instantly, turning the piece of wood around in every direction for anything. Anything, at all.

I felt so guilty, but Mateo did the same thing with the blade clue, and that didn't end badly.

Okay, that is a lie. I'll just soften the blow, considering I'm not necessarily on bad terms with anyone here, and it'll be fine.