Broken homes

Ski trip

The bus ride to the mountains was supposed to be exciting. Instead, it was filled with unbearable tension.

Lily sat by the window, her arms crossed as she watched the snowy landscape blur past. Across the aisle, Nate sat stiffly with his headphones in, pointedly ignoring her. Meanwhile, Shawn was two rows behind her, his head leaned back, pretending to sleep—but Lily knew he wasn't.

Cory and Topanga were whispering in hushed voices, while Angela sat beside Shawn, arms folded tightly, her expression unreadable.

The air between them all felt thick. Like everyone knew something was about to explode, but no one wanted to be the first to light the match.

As the bus pulled up to the ski lodge, Feeny stood up, clearing his throat. "Alright, everyone! Grab your things and remember—you're representing your school, so behave accordingly." His eyes flickered to Lily and Shawn for just a second, making her sink into her seat.

The moment they stepped off the bus, cold air hit Lily's face. Snow covered the ground, and the mountains stretched high in the distance. It should have felt freeing, peaceful. Instead, it felt like a battlefield.

Angela brushed past Lily without a word, following Topanga into the lodge. Nate didn't even look in her direction as he grabbed his bag and walked inside.

"Fun trip already, huh?" Cory muttered beside her, offering a weak smile.

Lily exhaled. "Yeah. A blast."

Shawn finally appeared beside them, hands in his pockets, eyes flickering toward Lily.

"You and Nate talk yet?" he asked casually, but there was tension behind his words.

Lily glared at him. "No, Shawn, because he's too busy hating me. And I wonder why."

Shawn sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Lily—"

"Don't," she cut him off. "Just don't."

He held her gaze for a second before nodding, backing off.

Cory shifted uncomfortably between them. "Okay! So, uh, let's go inside before Feeny makes us sleep in the snow."

Lily sighed, grabbing her bag and heading inside the lodge.

The trip had barely started, and she already felt like she was standing on thin ice.

And she had a feeling it was about to crack.

The ski lodge was beautiful—warm wooden interiors, a giant stone fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the snow-covered mountains. But despite the cozy setting, tension filled the air.

Lily had barely set her bag down in her shared cabin when Topanga grabbed her arm.

"Alright, spill," Topanga said, crossing her arms. "You and Shawn? What exactly happened?"

Lily sighed, rubbing her temples. "It was—" She hesitated. "It was a mistake, okay? A heated moment, we kissed, and now Nate won't even look at me."

Topanga raised an eyebrow. "And what about Angela? You do realize she's also your problem, right?"

Lily groaned. "Yes, I know."

Before Topanga could press further, the cabin door swung open. Angela walked in, her expression blank—but her eyes burned with unspoken anger.

Lily braced herself.

"We need to talk," Angela said, her voice sharp.

Topanga cleared her throat. "I'll, um... go over there," she mumbled, grabbing her bag and awkwardly slipping out the door.