Author: please kindly note these names:
Elizabeth, Lizzy for short: Elsa's mother
Lauryl: Mira's mother
Enjoy!!!
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The whole car was filled with silence. Elsa fidgeted with her fingers nervously, checking her phone over and over again. Her body trembled, her hands shook as she tried to keep her composure. Liam glanced at her from time to time. He wasn't sure if he should say something or ask her what the call had been about. So, he simply sat beside her in silence.
Elsa struggled to keep her tears from falling, trying hard to hide the whirlwind of emotions brewing inside her. Her mind was overwhelmed with thoughts—so many questions without answers. What was going on? Why in the world would Mira try to take her own life? As far as Elsa could remember, nothing like this had ever happened in the first timeline. There had been no warning signs. Mira had seemed okay just yesterday. So what could have possibly gone wrong overnight?
Elsa was on the verge of breaking down. She had no one to share her thoughts or fears with. No one would believe her if she said she came from the future, and she didn't even know how to begin explaining her situation. She was growing more and more frustrated—everything seemed to be falling apart faster than in the original timeline.
These thoughts flooded her mind as she sighed shakily and buried her face in her hands.
Liam looked at her with deep concern. He reached out his hand to pat her back but hesitated and slowly withdrew it.
They finally arrived at the hospital. Liam insisted on going in with her. Elsa rushed to the front desk, her breath uneven.
She sighed shakily before trying to speak.
"H-Hello... I'm looking for a patient who was brought in not long ago. M...I..." Her words caught in her throat; her voice trembled.
Liam quickly stepped forward, realizing she was struggling.
"We're looking for a patient—Mira Ray. Can you please tell us where her ward is?" he asked politely.
Elsa looked at Liam gratefully.
The nurse glanced between them.
"Sorry, what is your relationship with the patient?" she asked.
"Um... this is her friend," Liam said, pointing at Elsa. "And I'm her friend too."
The nurse nodded softly and finally gave them the information.
Elsa took off running toward the ward. Liam followed close behind. She stopped in front of the door and gripped the handle tightly. Her heart pounded; she was too frightened to go in. She silently prayed Mira's condition wouldn't be too critical. After a long pause, Elsa exhaled deeply and pushed the door open.
Inside were Mira's mom, Elsa's mom, and Susan. Mira lay unconscious on the bed. All heads turned as Elsa entered, with Liam behind her.
She walked forward slowly, trembling. Everyone stared at her with worried expressions. Elsa approached the bedside in silence. Mira looked pale, her breathing soft. Drips and machines surrounded her. Elsa stretched out a shaking hand to touch her.
"Elsa…" her mother said softly, her voice laced with worry.
The moment Elsa's hand touched Mira's, her dam broke. The tears she had fought so hard to hold back came rushing out. She collapsed to her knees beside the bed, burying her face in the sheets as she sobbed bitterly. Mira's mom gently patted her back while Elsa's mom knelt and hugged her from behind. Susan and Liam stood silently, watching the painful scene. Susan sobbed quietly.
Elsa had never been more afraid. She felt like her only chance to save Mira was slipping through her fingers. Everything was spiraling, and she didn't know what to expect anymore.
Still crying, Elsa stood up and stepped away from her mom. Without saying a word, she stormed out of the room. Everyone watched her leave, letting out sighs filled with worry.
Elsa ran outside to a quiet area of the hospital and sat down on a bench, sobbing uncontrollably. Her body trembled—not just because of Mira's condition but also from the fear and confusion gnawing at her. She couldn't bear the thought of losing Mira a second time.
She buried her face in her hands, her sobs growing louder.
After a while, someone sat down beside her.
She turned slowly—and saw Susan.
Susan sighed heavily and offered her a handkerchief. Elsa looked at her for a moment before taking it. She continued sobbing softly.
"It's okay," Susan said in a gentle voice. "Mira is going to be fine."
Elsa looked up at her, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
"Susan, I'm so sor—"
Susan cut her off.
"Don't apologize, Els. I'm not angry with you anymore. I should be the one apologizing... for slapping you. I know you acted that way because you were worried about Mira. And I understand."
Elsa looked at Susan with tear-filled eyes.
"Els, Mira is my friend too. I'm just as worried. I love you both so much. I can't imagine my life without you two," Susan said as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Susan…" Elsa said softly.
Susan gently took Elsa's hands.
"I love you, Els. So much. Let's not fight again. And don't worry about Mira. She's strong. She'll be fine after some treatment."
Elsa nodded and sniffled.
"But what exactly happened? Mira was fine yesterday afternoon. How did she… how did she try to take her life?" Elsa asked.
Susan sighed deeply.
"I don't know for sure. I was called this morning by your mom because you weren't answering your phone. When I got to the hospital, I saw Mira unconscious on the bed. I asked her mom what happened. She said Mira was found at school last night by a security guard—on the floor, unconscious, with her wrist slit."
Elsa gasped and covered her mouth.
"What? Mira slit her own wrist?" she asked in a shaky voice.
Susan nodded, her voice breaking.
"I feel like I failed Mira. If only I had listened to you when you said something was wrong. Maybe… maybe this wouldn't have happened if I'd paid more attention."
Elsa began sobbing again.
"What is going on with Mira? I… I don't know what to do…"
Susan hugged her tightly.
"It's okay, Els. Mira will tell us when she wakes up. I promise, she'll be fine. And I promise never to leave you two. We're in this together—we'll figure it out."
Elsa clung to her, sobbing loudly in her arms.
After a while, the two girls walked back inside.
As they approached the ward, they saw Liam sitting on a chair outside. He stood up immediately when he saw them.
"Susan, go in first. I'll join you," Elsa said softly.
Susan nodded and went in.
Liam stepped closer, his voice low and full of concern.
"Are you okay?"
Elsa sighed, her face swollen and red from crying.
"I'm okay," she replied, nodding.
Liam smiled faintly in relief.
"Your mom said Mira will be fine. So don't worry too much, okay?"
Elsa avoided his gaze.
"Liam… thanks for today. Thanks for bringing me here. But I think you should go home now."
Liam looked at her, still worried.
"I'm fine. I can stay an extra hour. We just got here."
Elsa's voice rose slightly before she calmed it down.
"Just—" she paused, then added more quietly, "Just go, Liam. Thank you, but I'd like you to leave now."
Liam didn't understand why she was suddenly pushing him away. But he didn't argue.
"Okay. I'll leave now," he said, nodding before turning and walking away.
Elsa sighed deeply as she watched him leave. After a while, she went back into the ward.
Her mom approached and gently guided her to a seat.
"Elsa, can we talk?" Mira's mom asked.
Elsa nodded immediately. "Okay."
"I'll get going now, Lauryl," Elsa's mom said, grabbing her bag. "I'll come back later this evening to check on Mira."
"Okay. Please go, Lizzy. Thanks so much for always being here for me. Mira's mom said, holding lizzy's hand.
Elsa's mom smiled warmly.
"Of course, Lauryl. You're my best friend. And Mira is like a daughter to me. I love you both."
They hugged briefly.
Elsa's mom turned to Elsa.
"Take your time, sweetie. I'll order takeout on the way home. You and Susan can eat that later." She kissed Elsa on the forehead, then left.
Elsa sighed. She and Mira's mom sat quietly for a moment.
Then Mira's mom began, her voice low and shaky.
"Elsa…?"
"Yes, mama?" Elsa answered immediately.
"I've never been this scared before. You're the closest to Mira, so I know you might understand. Please… can you tell me what's going on with her? She didn't show any signs of struggling. I just don't understand why she would do something like this. Please, if you know anything… tell me."
Elsa gently took her hands.
"I'm so sorry, Mama. I wish I could give you answers. I'm just as confused. I've asked Mira many times if something was wrong, but she always said she was fine. I believe that when she wakes up, she'll open up to me… or Susan."
Susan nodded.
"Yes, ma'am. We'll do everything we can to help her. If she's struggling, we'll struggle with her. I promise everything will be okay."
Mira's mom sighed deeply, tears falling from her eyes. Elsa gently wiped them with her thumb.
"I trust you girls. I'll also talk to her. She's my daughter, but… I feel like a failure for not knowing she was going through something."
"No, Mama, no," Elsa said, shaking her head. "You're the best mom ever. Please don't blame yourself. Mira won't go through this alone. Susan and I will stand by her, always. I believe she'll eventually open up."
Susan nodded in agreement.
Mira's mom managed a small, sad smile.
"I'll head home quickly—to grab some clothes and personal items for her. Can you girls stay with her until I get back?"
"Of course," Susan said quickly. "Please take your time. We'll stay with her."
Elsa nodded in agreement.
Mira's mom stood up, grabbed her bag, and left.
Now only Elsa, Susan, and Mira remained in the ward. The room fell quiet again. Susan sighed and sat beside Elsa. They talked for a while, until Susan started dozing off. Elsa stood and gently helped her lie down on the couch more comfortably. She kissed her forehead, then pulled up a stool and sat beside Mira's bedside.
She took Mira's injured hand gently in hers, the sight of the slit wrist overwhelming her again.
Tears welled in her eyes, she didn't hold them back.
"What exactly is going on with you?… What happened that night?… Why—why would you try to take your own life?" Elsa asked in a trembling voice as she sobbed.
"This is all my fault. If I had checked my messages on time that night… If only I didn't hang out with Liam that day, maybe this wouldn't have happened. I've failed to protect you again," Elsa continued, her sobs growing heavier.
She wept uncontrollably until finally, exhaustion took over. Her head rested beside Mira's hand on the bed, and she drifted off to sleep.
Mira's eyes slowly fluttered open. She blinked against the harsh hospital lighting and looked around. She noticed Elsa asleep beside her, still holding her hand tightly. Susan was curled up, sleeping quietly on the couch.
Mira gently tapped Elsa's shoulder.
Elsa stirred, blinking awake. As she lifted her head and locked eyes with Mira, her breath caught in her throat.
"Mira?" she whispered.
Mira gave a faint, tired nod.
Elsa jolted up to her feet. "Are you okay? How are you feeling? Do you feel pain anywhere?" she asked frantically, her voice filled with panic.
Hearing the commotion, Susan stirred awake too. She shot up from the couch and rushed to them.
"Mira…" she whispered in disbelief. She ran to her and embraced her gently, holding her tightly before pulling away with tears brimming in her eyes.
"God, you scared me… How do you feel? Let me go get the doctor, I'll be right back!" Susan said quickly and ran out of the ward.
Elsa gently helped Mira sit upright. Mira grunted softly in pain as she tried to sit.
"What… happened?" Mira asked in a hoarse voice, glancing around the room. Her eyes fell to the bandage on her wrist, and her expression turned to confusion.
Elsa looked at her with trembling lips, then sighed shakily as tears spilled from her eyes once again.
Suddenly, the door opened, and the doctor walked in with Susan close behind. Elsa stepped aside to allow the doctor space to examine Mira.
The room fell silent as he checked her vitals. Everyone held their breath.
After a moment, the doctor cleared his throat. "Thankfully, she's out of danger now. Her vitals are more stable. She just needs to receive proper treatment and rest to recover fully."
Elsa and Susan both exhaled in relief.
"Can someone explain to me what's going on?" Mira asked, visibly confused.
Elsa and Susan exchanged a nervous glance.
"What do you mean, Mira?... Don't you remember what happened?" Elsa asked cautiously.
The doctor stepped in gently. "Well… Miss Ray, you were brought in by ambulance before we reached your family. You attempted to take your life by slitting your wrists multiple times. Judging by the cut on your head, we suspect you hit a brick or the ground when you passed out due to the blood loss."
Mira's eyes widened as she looked from the doctor to her friends.
After a few moments, the doctor excused himself quietly and left the ward.
Susan hurried to Mira's side. "You just need to rest for now, baby. We're here for you. If you're struggling in any way, you can open up to us. We promise, we're not going anywhere," Susan said gently, holding Mira's hands.
"I'm not going to ask you what happened—not right now. I don't want anything to worsen your condition," Elsa added in a soft, tender voice. "Just focus on recovering, okay?"
Mira forced a small smile and nodded weakly.
"You scared me," Susan whispered as she hugged Mira again, this time tighter.
Mira let out a small, breathy laugh and hugged her back. "I'm fine, Sussy. I'm not going to die that easily," she said playfully.
Elsa let out a short, teary laugh too and joined in the hug.
"I love you guys so much," Elsa said, her voice cracking with emotion.
"I love you guys more," Mira replied with a soft chuckle. "I promise not to ever leave your sight again—not even for a moment. It feels like I haven't been close to you recently… but now, I'm going to make sure you both get sick of me."
Susan laughed tearfully. "You better. I missed you."
They held each other close, tears falling softly as warmth and relief filled the air.
The Next Day at School:
Throughout the weekend, Elsa and Susan visited Mira constantly. Elsa even slept at the hospital one night, refusing to leave her side. Though Mira's parents insisted she didn't need to visit every day, Elsa was adamant.
She had made up her mind—she would never leave Mira alone again.
Monday came. Elsa walked down the hallway at school, heading toward her locker. Her face was tired but determined. As she moved forward, she suddenly stopped.
She saw Liam ahead.
Liam noticed her too and hesitantly walked toward her, looking unsure and nervous.
"Hey…" he said quietly.
"Hi…" Elsa replied, her tone distant.
The air between them was thick with tension.
"So, um… how's Mira now? How's her condition?" Liam asked softly.
Elsa nodded slowly. "Yeah… she's better now. Hopefully, she'll be discharged this weekend."
Liam sighed in relief and nodded. "That's… that's great."
Silence lingered before Elsa finally spoke.
"So… bye? I need to get to class," she said, starting to walk past him.
But Liam gently held her wrist.
Elsa's eyes widened as she looked at his hand, then at him.
"Elsa… wait," he said in a low tone.
Elsa quickly pulled her hand away.
"I—I'm sorry," Liam stammered. "I didn't mean to… But can we talk? Please?"
Elsa looked away. "We don't have anything to talk about," she said coldly.
Liam sighed, frustration and hurt creeping into his voice. "Elsa… I sent you so many texts. You didn't reply to a single one. Don't get the wrong idea—I was just genuinely worried about you. You looked completely worn out that day. I was scared something might have happened to you."
Elsa scoffed in frustration. "Why do you keep crossing the line?" she said sharply.
Liam looked shocked. "What do you mean, Elsa? I'm genuinely worried—"
"You don't have the right to worry about me!" she snapped. "You're getting it all wrong. We aren't friends, okay? We just hung out for a day. That was it. So stop acting like we're close."
Liam's expression hardened slightly. "Honestly, Elsa… I don't get why you're acting like this. Even at the hospital, you just pushed me away. Why do you keep shutting me out? Why?"
Elsa's voice rose. "Why? You want to know why? Because if I wasn't out with you for that stupid meal, I would have been there for Mira!"
Liam's voice cracked. "What?"
"Yes—you heard me," she said, tears stinging her eyes. "And do you know the funniest part? I feel so helpless right now. I can't believe that for one moment, I let myself get distracted. And that distraction was you."
Liam stood frozen, his heart sinking.
Elsa sighed shakily, trying to gather herself. "Just… stay out of my way. Stop getting involved in my mess. Let's just pretend we don't know each other. You were never in the picture anyway."
She turned and walked away.
Liam stood there, scoffing softly in disbelief, his chest aching.
Elsa finally reached her locker. She paused, inhaling sharply to calm herself before opening it.
As she opened her locker and was about to place a book inside, she saw something that made her pause—a letter.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She picked it up cautiously and unfolded it.
"It was Mira this time. Who do you think is next?"
Elsa froze, her breath catching in her throat. The letter dropped from her trembling hands as she staggered back, heart racing.
Confused. Terrified.
Her fingers trembled as she picked the letter up again, her eyes darting across the hallway.
Her entire body felt numb.
For the first time since her return, Elsa wasn't just scared.
She realized something horrible.
Mira didn't try to take her life.
Someone tried to kill her.