THE ROSE

Chapter 3: Shadows of the Past

The day began with an eerie calmness, the kind that Tyra Hayward had come to dread. The sun hung low, casting long shadows over the schoolyard as she walked with Sarah and Peter by her side. It had been a week since Luka left the mysterious rose on her desk, but every time she thought about it, her heart raced. She hadn't heard from him since.As Tyra passed the gym, she spotted Tygga talking to a group of guys near the bleachers. His demeanor was different—tense, almost agitated. She hadn’t seen him this worked up in a while, not since their mother’s passing. Tyra slowed her pace, eyes narrowing, but she chose not to approach. Her relationship with Tygga had been strained lately, ever since her feelings for Luka started to deepen. He was always protective, but there was something else—something darker—that lingered in his behavior."Tyra, you good?" Sarah asked, snapping her out of her thoughts."Yeah," Tyra said, forcing a smile, though her mind was elsewhere. "Just distracted."They made their way to class, but Tyra’s mind couldn’t shake the tension she felt. Something was off with Tygga, and deep down, she knew it had to do with her mother’s death.Later that day, after school:Tyra decided to confront her brother. As soon as she got home, she found him in his room, pacing. His phone was in his hand, and when he saw her, he quickly pocketed it."You’ve been weird lately," Tyra said, folding her arms. "What’s going on?"Tygga sighed heavily, rubbing his hands over his face. "You wouldn’t understand, Tyra. I’m dealing with a lot of stuff right now.""Try me," she shot back, stepping closer. "This has to do with Mom, doesn’t it?"His eyes flickered with something Tyra couldn’t place—fear? Guilt? She didn’t know."Look, I’m trying to protect you, okay?" Tygga finally said, his voice lowering. "There are things you don’t know—things about Mom’s death, and I... I made a promise to keep it quiet."Tyra’s heart dropped. Her mother’s death had always been a sore spot, but she’d accepted the story they were given. A car accident. That’s all it had ever been to her."What do you mean, 'keep it quiet'?" she demanded, stepping even closer. "What are you hiding, Tygga?"Before Tygga could respond, the doorbell rang. Tyra’s phone buzzed at the same time. She pulled it out and froze when she saw the message."Meet me at the rose garden. I need to tell you something. –L"Her stomach flipped. Luka? He was finally reaching out after all this time? She hadn’t even realized how badly she missed him, how much she wanted to hear his voice.But before she could process her emotions, Tygga grabbed her arm. "Stay away from Luka," he said, his voice low and urgent. "He's bad news, Tyra. Trust me on this.""Why would I?" she shot back, yanking her arm free. "You’re the one keeping secrets!"Tygga hesitated, eyes clouding with doubt. "Just be careful."Without another word, Tyra stormed out of the house, her mind racing. She needed answers, and if Luka had them, she was going to get them. She hurried toward the rose garden, her heart pounding in her chest.The Rose Garden – Twilight:When Tyra arrived, the garden was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. Rows of roses stretched out before her, their petals a deep, rich red that reminded her of the rose Luka had left for her.And there he was, standing beneath the gazebo, his back to her."Luka," she called softly.He turned, his face shadowed by the fading light, but there was something different about him. His usual playful smirk was gone, replaced by a seriousness she had never seen before."I had to see you," Luka said, his voice low. "There’s something you need to know."Tyra stepped closer, her breath catching. "What is it?"Luka’s eyes flickered with conflict, and for a moment, he seemed to struggle with his words. "My family... they’re involved in things—dangerous things. I didn’t want to drag you into it, but now… now I don’t have a choice."Her heart raced. "What are you talking about?""Your mother’s death," Luka whispered, his gaze intense. "It wasn’t an accident, Tyra. My family... they had something to do with it."The world seemed to tilt around her. Tyra’s mind went blank, the weight of Luka’s words crashing over her like a tidal wave."No... no, that can’t be true," she stammered, backing away. "You’re lying.""I wish I was," Luka said, stepping closer. "But there’s more. Tyra, they’re watching you. They know about us, and they’ll do anything to keep us apart."Tyra shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but deep down, something told her Luka wasn’t lying. The pieces were starting to fit together—the tension with Tygga, the secrets, the way her life had been spiraling out of control since her mother’s death."You need to leave, Tyra," Luka said urgently, grabbing her hand. "You’re not safe here. We can figure this out, but not here."But before they could move, a sharp crack echoed through the garden, and Luka's body jerked, his hand slipping from hers as he collapsed to the ground.Tyra screamed."Luka!" She dropped to her knees, her hands trembling as they hovered over his chest. Blood. There was so much blood.And then she saw it—the figure lurking in the shadows. A man. The gleam of a gun in his hand.Before she could react, the figure disappeared into the night, leaving Tyra alone, cradling Luka’s lifeless body as the darkness closed in around them.