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Friday nights at Westbrooke High were always loud. The gymnasium pulsed with music, the halls buzzed with students gossiping about the latest drama, and the air smelled like popcorn and cheap cologne.

Ellie White hated school events, but showing up was part of the act. People expected her to be there—laughing, smiling, being the version of herself that they knew.

So here she was, sitting in the bleachers next to Ava, pretending to care about the basketball game while her mind kept replaying the note from earlier that week.

"I know what you're hiding."

Ellie still hadn't figured out who sent it. She considered asking Ava, but that would mean admitting she had something to hide. And she couldn't do that.

So she did what she always did. Ignored it. Buried it. Moved on.

"Ugh, this game is taking forever," Ava groaned beside her. "Let's do something fun."

Ellie glanced at her. "Like what?"

Ava's eyes lit up mischievously. "A dare."

Ellie sighed. "Ava—"

 "Come on," Ava interrupted. "It's a tradition. First Friday night of senior year, we have to do something reckless."

Ellie gave her a look. "Sneaking into the teachers' lounge last year wasn't exactly reckless."

Ava smirked. "Fine. Then let's raise the stakes." She leaned in. "The old music room."

Ellie went still.

Everyone at Westbrooke knew the rumors about the music room at the far end of the school. It had been locked up for years after a student—Lillian Hayes—disappeared. People whispered that she had left behind secrets, and some even claimed to have seen strange things near the room late at night.

Of course, Ellie didn't believe in ghost stories. But she did believe in secrets.

And she knew that whatever had happened to Lillian Hayes had been covered up.

Ava nudged her. "Come on, El. You're always saying there's nothing scary about that room. Prove it."

Ellie hesitated. She didn't like dares. She didn't like situations she couldn't control.

But the moment she hesitated, she saw Ava's grin widen. "Unless you're scared."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "I'm not scared."

"Then let's go."

Before she could argue, Ava grabbed her wrist and pulled her off the bleachers.

The halls of Westbrooke High were eerily quiet at night. The only sounds were their footsteps and the distant echo of the game announcer's voice over the speakers.

Ellie felt a strange tightness in her chest as they got closer to the music wing.

Ava grinned as she reached the door. "Moment of truth."

Ellie crossed her arms. "It's locked. Guess we're done here."

Ava smirked and pulled out a hairpin. "Nope."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Where did you learn how to pick locks?"

"YouTube." Ava wiggled the pin into the keyhole, twisting it. "Don't look so impressed."

After a few seconds, the lock gave a soft click.

Ellie swallowed hard. Something about this felt wrong.

Ava pushed open the door. "After you."

Ellie stepped inside, her heart pounding. The air was heavy with dust and something else—something stale. The moonlight from the windows cast eerie shadows across abandoned chairs and old sheet music.

Then she saw it.

A small, wooden box sitting on top of the grand piano.

Her breath hitched. "Ava... look at this."

Ava peered over her shoulder. "Ooh, creepy. Open it."

Ellie hesitated before carefully lifting the lid.

Inside were letters.

Dozens of them.

The top one was folded neatly, yellowed with age. With trembling fingers, Ellie picked it up and unfolded it.

The handwriting was delicate but rushed, like someone had written it in a hurry.

"If you're reading this, it means I never got the chance to tell the truth."

Ellie's pulse raced.

The signature at the bottom made her blood run cold.

Lillian Hayes.