𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 │ 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

IN THE SUNNY COURTYARD OF Beverly High, Emberly sat across from Liam at the weathered picnic table, tracing the peeling paint with her fingertip. The faint scent of freshly cut grass mingled with the greasy aroma wafting from the cafeteria, and the chatter of students filled the air. It was noisy but oddly peaceful—a perfect moment to take stock of the boy sitting across from her.

Liam seemed... fine. Decent, even. He had the easy charm of someone used to fitting in wherever he went. But something about him tugged at her memory, like a melody she'd heard before but couldn't quite place. It wasn't unsettling, just oddly familiar.

"So, were you born here?" Liam asked, casually popping a chip into his mouth.

"Nope," Emberly replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm from South Crenshaw originally. My family moved to Beverly when I was a kid."

He nodded, leaning back on the bench like he owned the place. "What about you?" she asked.

"Born and raised," Liam said with a grin.

She tilted her head, studying him. "Really? How come I've never seen you before?"

"I went to private school for a while," he said with a shrug, his tone nonchalant.

Private school. That explained the polished vibe, the easy confidence.

"So why the switch?" Emberly asked, quirking a brow. "Didn't you have friends or girlfriends you'd miss?"

Liam chuckled, the sound deep and easy. "Had friends. Still keep in touch. Girlfriends? Not so much. But there were plenty of girls chasing me. They called me the mysterious hot kid."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah. Tall, handsome, basketball player—you know the type."

"Uh-huh. And so humble, too," she shot back, rolling her eyes.

He laughed, leaning forward again. "What about your family? What are they like?"

Emberly hesitated, the question stirring a quiet ache in her chest. "I've got a twin sister, Evelyn. You've probably seen her around—she's a little louder than me."

"Twin?" His eyebrows shot up. "Identical?"

"Fraternal," she replied with a faint smile. "My mom's a surgeon, my stepdad's a lawyer, and my bio dad..." Her voice faltered. "He passed last year."

Liam's grin faded, replaced with something softer. "I'm sorry," he said.

She shrugged, brushing the moment off even as the familiar ache lingered. "It's... yeah."

"And your twin? What's she like?"

"Evelyn? She's the outgoing one. Always has been." Emberly glanced at him. "What about you? Any siblings?"

Liam paused, his easy smile dimming just a bit. "Nope. Just me and my mom. She's everything to me—my rock." His tone softened, like he was letting her see past the bravado for a second. "It's just the two of us now. My dad passed away last year too."

Emberly stilled. The quiet understanding that passed between them felt heavier than she expected. "How did he...?"

"Overdose," Liam said quickly, his tone clipped. He looked away, crumpling the chip bag in his hands. "Anyway, enough about me. What's your next class?"

She hesitated, feeling the weight of the moment. But she knew better than to push—grief was personal, and nothing she could say would fix it.

"I should get going," she said, glancing at her phone as the time flashed on the screen.