I woke up to knocking on glass.

Three taps. Sharp. Measured. Not wind or tree or dumbass bird.

Naturally, I figured window. I live alone, top floor, so either it was a drunk pigeon or a ghost with bad GPS. But when I turned my head toward the window—nothing. No breeze. No branches. Just the city yawning in the dark.

Then the knocking came again.

This time: tap-tap-tap.

Behind me.

From the mirr...

[SCENE: Outside an apartment complex. 1:37 AM. Headlights still on. She storms out of the car, slamming the door. He follows, stumbling, drunk but smirking like it’s all still a joke.]

SHE (Lyra)

You almost killed us back there. You laughed. What the fuck is wrong with you?

HE (Rafa)

Relax. I’ve driven drunk a hundred times. You’re the one making it a big deal.

LYRA

Because it is a big deal, Ra...

"That old lady always wears a red scarflette around her wrist," muttered Lennox—now going by Left Eye until the swelling goes down. "Today, we found out why."

"Turns out she can grand-slap a silly bastard into a new zodiac sign," said Max, nursing his jaw like it owed him money. "With a fuckin’ purse, Lennox. A purse."

“She’s a gang, Max! A gang! Did you see them?! All coordinated like synchroni...

If you're bleeding,

it means you've been hurt.

Not a scratch-on-the-skin kind of hurt—

the kind that sits in your chest

and doesn’t go away.

That kind of pain

usually comes from someone

you let get close.

If they hurt you,

it means you trusted them.

You don’t feel betrayed by strangers.

And if you trusted them,

it means you cared—

really cared.

You only care that deeply

when love is involved.

...

You're a soft thing, once.

Time flickers past.

You start asking questions.

You start looking around.

You start noticing.

And I notice you.

You're learning fast.

Getting sharper, louder inside.

I watch you stretch your mind, press against old walls.

It's cute, really—your early confusion, your curious dread.

You didn't know I came with the growth.

Didn't know that self-awareness had a shadow.

T...