It was a quiet evening in the dorm. The air was unusually still, touched by the faint scent of pine candles that Autumn had lit to get into the Christmas mood. Lemon sat on her bed, scrolling through her phone when a new message popped up—her heart skipped a beat. It was from Laven.
[Laven]: Hey… what are you doing?
Lemon stared at the screen. She wasn't expecting Laven to text Jayden Cruz—the fake profile she had created. For a moment, she hesitated. But then, she typed back, slipping into her made-up character with practiced ease.
[Jayden]: Hey, nothing much. Just chilling. You?
Laven replied quickly, like she was waiting for a reply.
[Laven]: Same here. Just thinking about something.
Lemon tilted her head, wondering where this conversation would go.
[Jayden]: What kind of something?
[Laven]: You'll laugh. But... I was thinking if you don't mind, maybe we could meet up?
Lemon froze. Her eyes widened at the message. She had thought this would stay online. A way to dig out answers. Not something that would move into real life.
She typed slowly.
[Jayden]: I don't think I can. We're not really allowed to leave the hostel.
[Laven]: But it's Christmas, right? You'll get two days off. You can just sneak out. We can meet somewhere. Just once. No pressure.
Lemon stared at the blinking cursor. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. She bit her lip. She couldn't do it. She wasn't Jayden. Meeting would destroy everything. But she also didn't want to lose the connection… not yet.
[Jayden]:Hmm I'll see, if I can, I'll text you
She hit send and let out a deep sigh.
Two days later, as expected, the university announced a two-day Christmas break. Everyone was buzzing with excitement. Hazel had already packed half her suitcase. Scarlett was choosing which earrings to wear back home. Autumn was playing Christmas songs and forcing Evelyn to dance with her. The atmosphere was warm and full of joy.
The Six decided to head home together. They laughed all the way to the train station, carrying snacks and pulling suitcases behind them. Lemon, however, remained unusually quiet.
She had already made it clear—she wouldn't be meeting Laven.
Not because she was scared, but because she wasn't ready. How could she meet someone who didn't even know her real identity?
As the girls boarded their respective trains or cars to head home, they texted each other constantly.
[Scarlett]: Reached. Miss you guys already.
[Autumn]: Home and already being fed like a cow. Yay.
[Evelyn]: My mom made me clean the house before I even got a glass of water.
[Hazel]: These two days better go slow.
[Riley]: I'm home too, missing the ugly university now.
Lemon's phone buzzed again.
[Leon]: Did you get home safe?
She smiled, typing back.
[Lemon]: Yeah. Just reached. You?
[Leon]: Home too. Good to know you're safe.
That short exchange somehow meant more than usual. In the past few weeks, Lemon and Leon had gotten close—closer than she'd anticipated. She felt like he was starting to trust her. And maybe she was doing the same.
They texted more that day. Nothing too deep, just little jokes, random thoughts, shared music. But something had shifted. There was warmth now. A connection.
The two-day holiday passed in a blur of food, lights, laughter—and Lemon's constant worry. She avoided texting Laven as Jayden. She kept making excuses in her mind, hoping Laven wouldn't grow suspicious. A part of her felt guilty. But the other part—the one seeking truth—remained focused.
When the girls returned to university, dragging suitcases and hugging each other tightly, everything felt normal again. The dorm filled with chatter, with the scent of home food brought in containers, and with stories from each of their homes.
They settled back into their room, rearranged their beds, and resumed their routine.
Then, Lemon's phone rang.
It was Leon.
"Hello?" she answered, sitting on the edge of her bed.
There was silence on the other side.
"Leon?" she said again, concerned now.
"Lemon…" His voice was barely a whisper.
Lemon stood up slowly, heart thudding. "What happened?"
There was a long pause.
Then Leon said it.
"Laven is dead."
Lemon dropped back onto her bed, her phone trembling in her hand. "What...?" she whispered.
Leon said. "They found her this morning. At her home. My mom told me. The police say she died 10 hours ago means yesterday 11pm, they didn't said how she died. Just that it looked sudden. No signs of violence. Nothing."
Lemon couldn't speak.
Dead?
No. That couldn't be.
She had just talked to her days ago. She had wanted to meet. She was alive. Laughing. Typing.
Now gone?
"Lemon," Leon said again, voice tight, "you okay?"
But Lemon couldn't reply. Her mind was already racing.
Was it a coincidence?
All are dead?
The whole five girls?