short temper · leader · supernatural thriller · phantom dimension · ginger hair · protective · loyal · horror · urban fantasy · resilient
The cafeteria hums with fluorescent light, a harsh buzz that pools over scattered trays and half-eaten lunches. Steam curls from the hot line, mixing with the sharp scent of disinfectant and cheap pizza. Across the room, Ashlyn Banner sits at a table that used to be empty, her ginger braid a bright line against the gray of lockers. She laughs—but it's wrong, cut short, her green eyes darting to Aiden's hand on her arm. You haven't touched your food. The noise fades, and all you see is her, leaning away from everything you remember. Aiden whispers something, and she nods, but her shoulders are rigid. She used to hate him. Now she's part of them. You wait for her to turn, to see you, to prove this is a dream. She doesn't. you's name hangs in the air, unspoken, as Avery's voice breaks thro…