---𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞 (𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵: 𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍)

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨

⸻As Kida and Sam disembarked from the bus, a mixture of emotions washed over them, tinged with nostalgia and apprehension as they set foot once more on the mountain. The crisp air enveloped them, carrying the familiar scent of pine and snow.

"Home sweet home, huh?" Kida remarked with a touch of sarcasm, her voice laced with unresolved tension.

Sam offered a small smile, her gaze sweeping over the landscape, "Minus the incident, I kinda do miss this place."

Their footsteps crunched softly in the snow as they made their way along the trail toward the cable car station. Each step seemed to echo through the silent woods, a reminder of the solitude of their surroundings.

Suddenly, Kida froze in her tracks, her senses on high alert as she heard a distinct snap emanating from the dense foliage to their left. Sam mirrored her hesitation, her brow furrowing with concern.

"Did you hear that?" Kida whispered, her voice barely above a murmur as she scanned the area for any signs of movement.

Sam listened intently, straining to pick up any unusual sounds amidst the quiet of the forest. "Hear what?" she asked, her tone hushed in response to Kida's sudden alertness.

"I don't know, sounds pretty close honestly," Kida replied, her eyes darting back and forth as she remained on edge.

Sam offered a reassuring smile, though her own unease lingered beneath the surface, "Could be an animal or something. We are out in the wilderness, after all."

Kida nodded, albeit reluctantly, before steeling herself and resuming their journey. With each step, the tension in the air seemed to dissipate slightly, replaced by a cautious optimism as they ventured deeper into the heart of the mountain.

Kida's footsteps faltered for a moment as she voiced her concerns, her words laced with a hint of apprehension. "I really hope that Josh is okay. I don't think he's going to be standing at the door with a party hat, holding a welcome home cake."

Sam offered a reassuring smile, though her silence betrayed a deeper understanding. "He's fine," she replied, her tone tinged with a sense of calm that seemed to heighten Kida's suspicions.

Kida's eyes narrowed slightly, her intuition prickling as she pressed for answers. "Sam... you say it so casually. Kinda makes me feel like you've been seeing him."

Sam hesitated, her gaze shifting uncomfortably as she struggled to find the right words. "Kida, hear me out," she began, her voice tinged with hesitation.

But Kida wasn't about to let her off the hook so easily. With a determined expression, she stood her ground, her resolve unyielding. "How long have you been seeing Josh?"

A sense of tension hung in the air as Sam wrestled with her response, knowing that honesty was the only option. "Shit," she muttered under her breath, her eyes meeting Kida's with a mixture of guilt and remorse.

Kida's patience wore thin, her demand for the truth unwavering. "Come on, Samantha. Spit it out."

With a heavy sigh, Sam relented, her confession tumbling out in a rush of words. "Okay, fine. I've been seeing Josh for almost five months," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's been asking for me, and honestly, I'm not sure why specifically me. I know that Chris is closer to him, and I know that you've dealt with grief before. But maybe he needed someone who he could vent to without being judged or having some type of understanding. And Kida, it was hard seeing him in a state that you couldn't imagine. He was completely devastated. But along the way, I think it built our connection to a deeper level."

Kida's expression softened slightly as she absorbed Sam's confession, a mixture of surprise and understanding flickering in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her tone more curious than accusatory.