Orchid passed through the school in search of Navaeh. Jackson still lingered in her mind and she knew she had to tell her. It scared her, what if Jackson spun some story of his own? Made Orchid the villain instead? God, she hoped not. As the bell rang, she swore, she was going to be late. Finally, she spotted Navaeh and Hillary at the end of the hallway, exchanging quiet words. Dressed in new jeans and cute button-ups, Orchid remembered when she and Navaeh did that on the first day of school.

"Navaeh!" she shouted, quickening her pace to get to her friend. "Wait up!" Hillary waved goodbye to Navaeh, breezing past Orchid, a smirk plastered on her face. People gave Orchid strange looks as she walked past them, puzzling her. Was everyone looking at her? It made her squirm in discomfort. "Nava!"

Navaeh spun around, ignoring her and went into the stairwell, looking furious. What was happening? "Navaeh, wait!" Orchid yelled, hurrying after her. She pushed open the door, seeing Navaeh stand near the stairs, gripping the railings. "I need to talk to you—"

"Stop it, Orchid." Her voice was wavering. "I thought you were my friend."

"W-What?" Orchid blinked blankly. "I don't get it—"

"Oh my god, stop with that stupid stutter!" Navaeh hollered, spinning around. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she furiously wiped them away. She gripped the stairs' railings tighter, averting her gaze. "When?" She was crying now.

"When what?"

"Don't lie to me," she mumbled."When did you start the affair with Jackson?"

Orchid was stunned. She didn't do shit. "I didn't have an affair with h-him," she stammered, embarrassed. Is that what Jackson told her? How could Navaeh not believe her? "He tried to hit on me, Nava. He kept touching my waist and thigh—"

"Liar." Her words were bittersweet, like a snake's venom. "Why are you lying to me, Orchid? This isn't you." Anger pulsed through Orchid's veins.

Orchid rolled up her hands into fists. "Me? Isn't me? Navaeh, I'm sorry, but open your goddamn eyes for a minute." Navaeh flinched, startled. "You've been ignoring me for a long time, you've ghosted me to hang out with stupid Hillary Arthurs and Jackson Millers. They're both horrible people, Nava." Now the anger was really drumming through her. "You can't pretend you're completely innocent in this either, I tried to tell you about Jackson last night."

Navaeh dripped with rage. "N-No, you're lying again. You started an affair with Jackson and now that you've been caught, you're shifting the blame." Orchid gritted her teeth as Navaeh laughed. It wasn't funny at all.

"Nava, please," Orchid begged, the anger dying off. Getting mad at her wouldn't help. She grabbed Navaeh's hand, feeling desperate. "I would never try to get between you and your boyfriend. But he's not loyal, in fact, Jackson is just breaking your heart like I always knew he would..."

Navaeh tried to pull back her hand, but Orchid's grip was strong. "Stop it," she snapped back, growling. "Let me go, Orchid. Let me go!" Navaeh shoved Orchid, making her stagger to the floor. Orchid's head hit the floor, a sharp pain raked through her body. She cried out in agony, shuddering.

Orchid sat up, wincing. Why was Navaeh doing this? Why wouldn't she believe her? Orchid stared at Navaeh, searching her eyes to see if there were any remains of their crumbling friendship."You're the worst friend ever," Navaeh said finally, gritting her teeth.

Without a second thought, Orchid stood up and shoved Navaeh. "I tried being the best friend I could!" Orchid screamed, sobbing. She was spiralling out of control, their time ran out, and their friendship was breaking. Navaeh shoved her back as they both stumbled. "Navaeh, just listen to me—" Navaeh grasped Orchid's wrists, making her gasp.

"No, listen to me, you little shit," Navaeh snarled, "get out of my life—"

Orchid screeched. "Let me go, I'm sorry—"

"Get out of my life—"

Then Orchid released Navaeh, frustrated and confused. She watched in horror as Navaeh tripped over her feet, just too close to the edge, and was flung down the flight of stairs. "Navaeh!" She tried to scream, but it only came out as a gasp.

"N-Nava...?" Orchid peered over the railings, terrified. Her limp body laid at the bottom of the stairwell, and her forehead was swelling. Did her skull crack? "No, no, no," she whispered.

Did she kill Navaeh Naylor?

┉┈◈◉◈┈┉

Orchid sat at the bottom steps of her wooden porch, staring at the night sky. "You really messed up, Orchid," she mumbled to herself. It was almost a coincidence, there were no cameras at the top of the stairwell, and no one would have known that Orchid pushed Navaeh. Was it a blessing or curse? She's in a coma, Orchid thought, closing her eyes. I almost killed her. Navaeh had suffered major injuries to the brain, or so she heard from the Naylors, her parents didn't know if their daughter was ever going to wake up.

No one even asked if she pushed Navaeh down the stairs when the paramedics arrived, they played it off as an accident. She must have tripped and fallen, they had said. Poor, clumsy girl. Orchid sat at her desk, feeling the guilt gnaw her away during the rest of her classes. Should she hand herself in to the police? But her future... would be ruined, she could be charged with assault or worse. Attempted murder? Navaeh's coma felt like one last 'fuck you' from her ex-friend.

Maybe Orchid was the worst friend ever.

A car pulled up to her driveway, but it wasn't her dad's car. What the hell? Orchid thought as Jackson Millers stepped out, slamming the driver's door. He had worn jeans, his hands in his pockets. "Jackson," she said flatly, crossing her arms across her chest.

Jackson shifted his weight, walking closer to her. "I'm sorry," he said at last, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was drunk and wasn't thinking very clearly." Wow, what a proper apology. Orchid bit back the bitter words that were on the tip of her tongue. Regardless of what Jackson did—sliding her hand up and down Orchid's waist—he was always going to break Navaeh's heart.

After a pause, Jackson asked, "Did you push Navaeh?"

Orchid was quick to defend herself. "Of course not! I-I wouldn't even—" She stopped herself, the guilt coming back like a flood. What a liar she was. Should I confess? Orchid wondered.

"I figured you'd be jealous of her relationship with me. I kind of thought you were into me," Jackson replied, making Orchid recoil. Any thought of confession vanished—she wasn't going to admit anything to this boy. This spoiled, disgusting boy. He didn't deserve anything from Orchid.

"I didn't push her off the stairs. Now, get off my property before I call the cops."

┉┈◈◉◈┈┉

Orchid blinked, groaning. Why was it so warm? She tried to move and a sharp pain shot up her spine. "Gray, don't move," Stoll's faint voice said, it sounded almost drowsy. "We'll be okay."

Orchid tried to breathe but was met by smoke. She covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve, eyes lidded. "I-I—" She despised her stutter. "Oh, Jesus Christ."

Her head lolled to the side, seeing the flames starting to consume and eat away some of the room. "The door's locked from the outside, I can't pick it," Stoll whispered in her ear. They were on the floor, sitting in the middle of the Exam Room. He coughed as smoke spread. He smoothed her black hair, tears in his eyes as he tried to smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't save us."

"We have to escape," she cried out, grabbing Stoll by the shoulders. We're going to die, Orchid's lungs filled with smoke and dread. She coughed violently, clutching her chest as Stoll held her. "Try the windows, we can jump—"

"They're not openable," he said desperately. "I've tried, Orchid. I've tried." They both got up, Stoll slipped an arm around her as they limped again to the door. "We've been trapped here for around seven minutes. We won't last much longer."

Orchid turned to face Stoll. This was one last time to say the things she never got to. "If we're dying, I want to die with you," she blurted out, leaning against him. "I'm sorry I didn't say I liked you back when you told me, I regret everything I couldn't tell you—" She started to cry like the stupid crybaby she always was, she wasn't strong like Saira or brave like Stoll, she was a lying coward. Too cowardly to admit she hurt Navaeh.

Stoll softened. "Orchid—"

"And now it's too late." She was the one who was truly stupid and foolish. Orchid looked at Stoll, seeing the fear in his eyes. "I'm sorry I failed us."