Chris slowed down only when she was completely out of breath. She stopped near a small deserted road, hands on her knees, trying not to faint again. Her lungs burned. Her head spun. She didn't know how long she had been running from that house.
Then—
Someone grabbed her arm gently.
Chris gasped and tried to pull away.
"Chris, relax. It's me."
The voice was deep… and familiar.
She turned slowly.
The guy from the house — still slightly wet hair, a towel thrown over his shoulder, a shirt now covering him — stood in front of her.
"W-why are you following me?!" Chris shouted, backing away.
He raised his hands in defense. "Because you ran off like I kidnapped you!"
"You DID!" she snapped.
He sighed. "No. I saved you."
Chris froze.
Her heart pounded. "Saved… me?"
He nodded. "Yes. Last night, in the woods. You fainted. I brought you somewhere safe."
Chris stared into his eyes. Dark orange. Almost red. A strange glow inside them… a glow she remembered from her childhood. A glow she used to tease him about.
Her breath caught.
"…Twilight?"
The guy smiled slightly. "Finally. You remembered."
Chris's eyes widened.
"T-Twilight? My Twilight? The one from elementary school?!"
"The one and only," he said with a small bow.
Chris felt her heart thump painfully. He had grown up — a lot. His jaw was sharp, his height towering, his messy black hair dripping onto his collar. And his eyes… those eyes she remembered staring at across school benches… but now they looked dangerously beautiful.
"You— you—you look so different!" she stuttered.
He grinned. "Well, I should. It's been years."
Chris blinked. This was unreal.
"How… did you find me?" she finally asked, still holding her clothes tightly.
Twilight shrugged casually. "Oh, actually… I was at Henry's party."
"WHAT?!" Chris almost choked.
He laughed. "Yeah. Henry invited me."
"But— how do you know Henry?"
Twilight looked away for a second. "We met years ago during a football match. He was the captain. I was the substitute for the opposing team. We kind of… fought. And then we became friends."
Chris stared at him. Twilight and Henry? Friends? That felt impossible but so weirdly fitting.
"And… you were the guy I was following?" she asked slowly.
Twilight tilted his head. "Which guy?"
"The one at the party. Mask. Cloak. Staring at me."
Twilight blinked at her. His face serious.
Chris swallowed nervously.
"A-are you… that guy?"
Twilight stared at her for a long moment.
Then smirked.
"Yes."
Chris froze.
Her heart almost stopped.
She took one step back.
Twilight burst out laughing.
"I'm kidding."
Chris threw a shoe at him.
"You idiot!"
He caught it easily, still laughing.
She snatched her shoe back angrily. "NOT funny!"
"Actually it was," he said with a playful smile.
Chris glared. Hard. Twilight raised his hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry."
She folded her arms, still mad.
Twilight then said calmly, "So… who was that guy? Your boyfriend?"
Chris's face turned red instantly.
"NO! WHAT? No!"
Twilight nodded slowly, eyes narrowing. "Hmm."
Chris felt her stomach twist. "Don't 'hmm' me!"
He ignored that. "I saw him too… the masked guy. I was on the second floor when I noticed him staring at you. I tried to follow but… as soon as the music changed, he just vanished. Like smoke."
Chris's skin crawled.
She didn't want to think about that.
Before she could say anything, they heard fast footsteps approaching the gate of Twilight's house.
"CHRIS!"
Lily.
Chris felt relief flood through her as Lily sprinted inside the yard.
Twilight walked forward and opened the gate for her.
Lily raised her hand, ready to slap the guy who kidnapped her best friend—
But the moment she saw his face, she froze completely.
Her eyes widened.
She gasped.
"Twily?!"
Twilight smiled awkwardly. "Uh… hi?"
Chris blinked. HARD.
"TWILY?! You know him?!"
Lily threw herself at Twilight and squished his face between her hands.
"Oh my god!! You idiot—it's been YEARS! Where the hell were you?!"
Chris's jaw dropped.
Lily recognized him instantly?!
Twilight chuckled, embarrassed. "Yeah… long story. I just moved back."
Chris stared at both of them, stunned.
"How did YOU recognize him?! I could barely!!"
Lily looked at Chris like she had said the dumbest thing ever.
"How could I NOT? Those eyes, Chris! He has those weird flashlight eyes! You can spot them even from SPACE."
Twilight groaned. "Please stop calling them flashlight eyes."
"No." Lily patted his cheek. "Flashlight eyes forever."
Chris felt something twist in her chest.
Twilight AND Lily had this old bond?
A connection Chris didn't know about?
It was weird. Confusing.
And somehow… she didn't like how easily Lily recognized him.
Lily then turned to Chris.
"Now explain EVERYTHING."
Chris finally felt her shoulders drop.
She had no idea that explaining everything… would only make things more complicated.
And Twilight… was hiding more than he admitted.