‘I ’t let this opportunity slip through my fingers. Tina is right there, and I have to front her. I o be brave and reach out as a friend.’

  Roselle took a deep breath and approached Tina. Tina’s eyes widened in disbelief upon seeing her approag. “Roselle?” Tina whispered in shock.

  Roselle didn’t waste a moment. She closed the distaween them and enveloped Tina in a warm hug. Tiated for a brief moment, but then she ed her arms around Roselle iurn.

  Roselle and Tina found a quiet er in the donut shop where they could talk without being overheard. Roselle looked into Tina’s eyes, searg for the truth. “Tina, I’ve missed you so much. What happeo you? Why did you disappear?”

  Tina’s gaze flickered between her old friend and the world outside the shop’s window. “I... I had to leave, Roselle. Things got plicated, and I had no choice. My dad, he... um.... he had debts and got involved with some really bad people...so. I had to make a decision... and I did. The world I’m in now. Well, you wouldn’t know about this type of stuff. Ahahaha...”

  Roselle listetentively. She then frowned. “Tina, I know about the films you’ve been making. I’ve seen the pictures... I want to help you, Tina.”

  Tina’s eyes widened with shock.

  “Roselle, you shouldn’t have looked into that,” Tina said in a hushed tone. “It’s dangerous. Those people... they won’t let me leave easily. You should stay away from this, it’s not a pce for someone like you. You’re so...”

  Roselle could see the fear and guilt in Tina’s eyes.

  Roselle gave Tina a gentle smile and finished her sentence. “Pure, i, untouched?” She shook her head softly. “Tina, I know who I am. But I also know that you’re my friend. I want to help you. Please, don’t hide from me.”

  Tina’s eyes welled up with tears, and she turned away. “Roselle, you don’t uand. This world is very dangerous. Once you e, it is almost impossible to leave it. They trol everything. My father. He led us into it, and now there is no way out.”

  Tina brought her eyes to face Roselle. “I never wanted you to see me like this, Roselle. I tried to keep it all hidden, but it’s so hard. They... they have something on me, and they won’t let me go.”

  Roselle reached out and took Tina’s hand. “There has to be a way….”

  “No, there’s—” Tina began, but Roselle cut her off.

  “Don’t try to push me away,” Roselle said firmly. “I want to help, and I won’t let them push me out. No matter what, even if you try to disappear.”

  Tina looked at Roselle. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. After a moment, she sighed and finally spoke. “My father is in huge trouble. He’s on thin ice right now. He needs a lot of money, badly.”

  Roselle’s eyes softened. “Then we’ll find a way to get the money a you both out of this mess.”

  Tina’s eyes shifted to the side momentarily. “It’s not just the money, Roselle. These people... they’re dangerous. If we make one wrong move, it could all e crashing down. I… I’m not dohough Roselle… there’s more…”

  Tina eyes Roselle for a long pause before she tinued. “Roselle, I know you and Sarah are best friends, but Sarah’s involved in this too. It all started from that i, the rumor about yht with Sarah. I didn’t believe any of it. When I was going to talk to you, the other six friends of yours surrounded me and asked me to front you with them. They pressured me into it, and that’s why...”

  Roselle’s face went pale. “Sarah? My best friend Sarah? She disappeared from school and the detective’s club after that one day. I hought... And the others... pressuring you?”

  Tina nodded. “I’m so sorry, Roselle. I didn’t want to hurt you. I was scared and fused.”

  Roselle felt a wave of betrayal and sadness e over her, but she remairong. She squeezed Tina’s hand tighter. “Tina...I don’t bme you for what happened. It was the ones who put you up to this.”

  Tina couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. She broke down, her sobs eg through the er of the donut shop.

  “I’m so sorry, Roselle,” Tina mao say between sobs. “I don’t deserve a friend like you. We’ve been friends since elementary school, and I just... I didn’t know how to face you.”

  While Tina spoke, fshes of memories from their childhood raced through her mind. She saw a young, shy Roselle approag her during their elementary school days. A smile came on her face. Tina herself was also shy. Their handshake came slowly but surely. Tina never fot the smile of the young Roselle in those days.

  Roselle embraced Tina with her own eyes misty. “I’m here for you, just like always.”

  They held each other for a few minutes before Roselle cleared her throat. “Tina, I o know something…how Alex got those photos of you.”

  Tina’s eyes wide the mention of the name “Alex.” Her heart raced.

  “I... I don’t know who you’re talking about, Roselle,” Tina replied with a nervous ughter. “There’s no one named Alex involved in any of this. It’s impossible.”

  Roselle noticed a subtle tremor in Tina’s hands and the way her eyes darted away. She leaned in and said, “Tina, you’re shaking. It’s okay to tell me the truth.”

  Tina’s eyes widened. She hastened around to the other side of the table beside Roselle. She csped Roselle’s hands tight. Roselle looked her in the eyes while Tina said, “Please, Roselle, don’t make me talk about Alex. Please. You don’t uand how dangerous this is.”

  Roselle felt that strange, almost hypnotic charm radiating from Tina’s eyes, but shook it off. ‘What was that,’ Roselle questioned briefly, but decided to focus on responding to Tina now with a nodded. “Alright, I won’t push it any further right now.”I live on Color Drive, the same pce I used to. Why don’t you stop by ter? We talk more there, away fr eyes.”

  Tina nodded. “Okay, I’ll e by. Thank you, Roselle. I’ll see you ter.”

  With that, Roselle stood up and began to walk toward the door. Outside, she spotted Angie leaning against the wall of the donut shop. There were a couple of boxes of donuts in hand. Angie was mung on one.

  Roselle approached. “Hey Angie, I’m done in there. Did you get those donuts just now?”

  Angie looked up. “Yep! This is a donut shop, isn’t it? Couldn’t resist grabbing a couple. You want one?”

  Roselle raised an eyebrow with a piqued curiosity. “I didn’t know you were into donuts.”

  Angie shrugged, taking another bite. “Well, now you do. They go great with my games. A little sweet and a lot of fun. It’s a perfebo.”

  Roselle chuckled lightly. “I guess you’ve got a point there. I hought of it that way.”

  Angie grinned, Roselle a donut. “Try ohey’re pretty good. If if yonna be hanging out with me more, yono get used to donuts.”

  Roselle accepted the donut, taking a small bite. “Not bad. Thanks, Angie.”

  As Roselle and Angie were about to leave, a shout pierced through the air. “Wait!”

  Both Roselle and Auro see Tina running out of the donut shop. Her face was beet red. Roselle’s eyes widened in surprise as Tina approached.

  “What’s going on, Tina, “asked Roselle.

  Tina then stopped, catg her breath before speaking. “I didn’t want you to see me like this, Roselle. The life I have been leading, the things I did in the dark. I thought I could keep all that away from you. But I realize now just how stupid that really was.”

  She hesitated for a sed before tinuing her speech. “I have treasured every moment of our friendship. It’s been one of the few things that has kept me grounded. I didn’t want to hide anything from you, especially not those photos. I was afraid, but it’s not worth it anymore. You’re my friend, no… you’re more than a friend to me. You deserve the truth.“.

  Roselle saw through Tina’s facade. “I see how much this has affected you. The real Tina, the shy and g one.”

  Tina’s eyes filled with tears again, and she nodded slowly. “I was never really going to e to visit your house... Instead I....”

  Tina took a deep breath. “I should have e a long time ago about my feelings. I was scared, and I didn’t know how to face you. But seeing you now, I have to say that…I…love you.”

  Just as Roselle was about to speak, Tina’s lips grazed hers. It was gentle, light. It was a short yet fiery kiss. Roselle’s pulse quied, and suddenly visions swirled before her: fleeting glimpses of Tina’s shadows, blurry, like sand falling through Roselle’s fingers. Except for one—of a man: Tina’s father, kneeling with tears falling like rain every day.

  When the kiss finally broke, Tina pulled back with her remorse. “I’m so sorry to have plicated things, Roselle. I didn’t know how else this could e ht. I’m so sorry.”

  Roselle stood there in a state of shock. She blirying to ground herself in the present moment. “Tina... I—”

  Tina cut her off softly, “Just take care of yourself, Roselle. I’ll figure things out. I know I’m asking a lot, but please, try to uand me…”

  With that, Tina turned and walked bato the donut shop. Angie looked surprised for a moment, but quickly caught herself and shook her head. She looked towards Roselle curiously. “You okay?”

  Roselle stood frozen. It seemed as though she had been dazed due to the shock from Tina’s fession and sudden kiss.

  Angie frowned. “Hey, you awake?” Angie asked, waving her hands in front of Roselle’s face. When Roselle didn’t respond, Angie’s worry turned into frustration. “e on, Roselle. This isn’t the time to space out.”

  Seeing ion, A out a deep sigh. “Looks like you fell asleep standing up.” She shook her head. “I’ll be back. Just stay put.”

  With that, Angie walked over to her car, carefully pg the boxes of donuts inside. She theuro Roselle, who was still standing as if rooted to the spot.

  “Alright, I’m back,” Angie said, approag Roselle again. She pced a haly on Roselle’s shoulder. “e o’s get you somewhere more fortable.”

  Angie and Roselle sat on a bench outside the donut shop. Roselle had been in a daze. It was still trying to process the ued as of Tina.

  Angie gently spped her cheek. Roselle blinked and groggily looked at her. “Angie, what... what happened? I remember a kiss... Tina… She kissed me, didn’t she...?”

  “It certainly wasn’t me who got kissed,” Angie said with a smirk. “This just got a lot more plicated, especially sidering what I saw Tina dht before she left.”

  Roselle furrowed her brow, her fusion evident. “What do you mean, Angie?”

  Roselle’s fusion deepened. “What do you mean? I don’t follow.”

  Angie sighed. “Look, it’s probably best if you check your pockets. Trust me on this.”

  With shaky hands, Roselle reached into her pockets. Her fingers brushed against something crumpled. She pulled out a handwritten was folded ly. she unfolded it carefully, revealing a chatroom link.

  Roselle stared at the note, her heart pounding. “What... what is this?”

  Angie leaned in, peering at the note. “I’m sure Tina wanted you to find this. Givehing that just happened, it might be worth cheg out.”

  Roselle nodded slowly. “Okay, I’ll look into it. “

  Roselle thought to herself, ’Even after what just happeina’s still tried to reach out. She’s trying to ect with me again. This is a ce for us to talk again. This might be our ce te the gap between us, to offer support and maybe even find a way out of this mess. I owe it to her—and to myself—to find the truth, no matter what.”