Two lives.

18. Benefit of the Doubt

As I walked into the kitchen to grab a plastic cup for some water, I accidentally bumped into a blonde-haired girl standing near the counter.

"Oh! I'm sorry," I said quickly, giving her a friendly smile. Internally, I hoped she wouldn't make a big deal about it.

She turned to me, her expression instantly brightening with a wide grin. "Oh, don't worry! You're all good!" Her voice was light and cheerful, putting me a little at ease.

"Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you around before," she asked, her eyebrows lifting in curiosity.

"Uh, I guess you could say that," I said with a soft laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. "I've been here for about two weeks now."

Her smile grew even wider. "Oh! Well, welcome. My name's Summer. It's nice to meet you!"

I hesitated for a moment, remembering what my friends had told me about her just yesterday. Still, her friendly demeanor was hard to ignore. "I'm Sienna. It's nice to meet you too," I replied, trying to match her energy.

Her eyes sparkled as she leaned casually against the counter. "So, how are you liking it here? I know it can be kind of overwhelming at first."

"It's... different," I admitted with a small chuckle. "Still getting used to it, but it's not too bad."

"Yeah, it's definitely an adjustment. But once you find your rhythm, it's not so bad," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "If you ever need anything or just want to talk, I'm around!"

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," I said, giving her a polite smile.

As she walked off, her positive vibe lingered in the air, but my mind was stuck on what Ekko, Skin, and Caylus had said about her the day before. Was this the same Summer they described? A copy-and-paste kind of girl who thrived on drama and negativity?

I shook my head and filled my cup with water. Maybe I'd give her the benefit of the doubt—for now.

A few hours later, I found myself walking the track with Ophelia and Andi. It had become a bit of a routine—Ophelia would wake me from my afternoon nap and drag me outside for a walk. I always pretended to hate it, rolling my eyes and groaning about it, but deep down, I loved these moments. Especially on late May evenings like this, when the air was just right—warm enough for a T-shirt but cool enough to throw on a sweatshirt if you wanted. Of course, the only downside was the rain; when it poured, it really poured.

"Andi, what's so funny?" Ophelia suddenly stopped, planting her hands on her hips as she turned to face Andi, who was lagging behind us. Andi was doubled over, laughing so hard she could barely hold her phone.

"Look!" Andi managed to gasp, running up to us with her phone stretched out in front of her.

On the screen was an Instagram reel of a guy tripping and falling face-first into a bush.

Ophelia glanced at it and rolled her eyes. "Andi, that's not even funny," she said, though a soft laugh escaped her lips anyway.

I tried to keep a straight face, but Andi and I exchanged a look, and it was over—we both burst out laughing. I couldn't help it. It wasn't hilarious, but there was something about a grown man flailing into a bush that got to me.

"Sienna thinks it's funny," Andi said smugly, grinning as she leaned closer to me. Her voice had that slow, relaxed drawl she always got when she was high. Her red, glassy eyes gave her away completely.

"I didn't say that!" I protested, still giggling.

"Uh-huh, sure," Andi teased, nudging me with her elbow. "You were laughing first!"