"Alright, listen up!" Audrey clapped her hands as she stood at the front of the classroom. "If we don't want to fail this project, we actually need to work together for once."
They had all been assigned to the same group for a history presentation, and for the first time, it didn't feel like an awkward mistake.
"Who put you in charge?" Cloud smirked.
"I did," Audrey shot back.
Mary chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright, alright. Let's actually plan this out."
As they started brainstorming, Erica couldn't help but smile.
Alright, this time, we are actually going to finish this project," Audrey declared, arms crossed as she glared at her chaotic group.
"That's what you said last time," Cloud pointed out.
"And we did finish," Aedrian added, smirking. "We just barely passed."
"Details," Audrey muttered.
As they worked, Erica couldn't help but laugh at how effortlessly they fit together now. There was no forced interaction, no walking on eggshells.
Just friends.
And that was enough.
There was no tension, no resentment. Just friends working together, laughing when Cloud made a dumb joke, rolling their eyes when Risha got distracted, and trying not to lose their minds when Steph and Vinish started talking about their crushes instead of the project.
This was how it was supposed to be.
And for the first time, Erica truly believed that they were going to be okay.
One night after school, the group gathered on the rooftop, a place they had claimed as their own.
It was a quiet evening, the stars scattered across the sky, the cool air making them huddle together in their sweaters.
"I never thought we'd get here," Kim admitted, hugging her knees to her chest. "I mean… after everything."
"We've all changed," Rhealy said, nudging Kim's arm. "But I think we changed for the better."
Nicole glanced at Erica, something soft in her expression. "I think we just needed time."
Erica nodded. "And we needed each other."
Cloud let out a dramatic sigh. "Wow. So emotional. Should we all hug now?"
Risha smacked his arm. "Shut up, idiot."
They all laughed, but in the quiet moments after, they knew—
This was real.
They weren't just fixing things. They were rebuilding something stronger.
And this time, it was going to last.
Erica never thought she would love someone again.
Not the way she had loved Nicole.
But as she walked hand in hand with Angel through the school courtyard, listening to her talk about something completely random, Erica realized—
She didn't love Angel the way she had loved Nicole.
She loved her differently.
And maybe, just maybe…
That was even better.
A New Chapter Begins
The school rooftop had always been their escape, a place where everything felt lighter. Tonight, as the cool wind brushed against their faces, Erica sat with her friends, watching the city lights flicker in the distance.
They were together again—not as the broken, divided group they once were, but as something stronger.
"You ever think about how different we were a year ago?" Risha mused, leaning back on her hands.
"Yeah," Nicole admitted. "Feels like a lifetime ago."
"Because it was," Cloud said. "We're different now. Better, I think."
Erica exhaled, feeling Angel squeeze her hand beside her. The warmth was comforting, real. "We made it," she murmured.
And for the first time, she truly believed it.
The coffee shop had once been a place of pain—where confessions were overheard, where hearts were broken. But now, it was something else entirely.
Their group had taken over the biggest table, their drinks scattered across the surface as they laughed and talked over each other.
Vinish and Steph were rating their crushes on a scale from 'hopelessly out of reach' to 'maybe in another universe.' Kim and Rhea lee sat close, whispering about their next date. Risha had her arm slung around Mary's shoulder, while Audrey and Aedrian debated something passionately, neither willing to back down.
Nicole and Cloud shared a knowing look across the table, their hands brushing in a way that made it obvious they were more than just friends now.
And Erica? She looked at Angel, who was already watching her with a soft smile.
The past no longer felt like a weight. It was just… the past.
And the future? It looked brighter than ever.
Locker hallways used to be a war zone for them—awkward encounters, avoided eye contact, words left unsaid.
But now, it was different.
Nicole and Erica passed each other between classes, and instead of the usual tension, Nicole grinned. "See you at lunch?"
"Yeah," Erica nodded. "Save me a seat."
Cloud and Angel high-fived as they crossed paths, while Risha dramatically dipped Mary backward in the middle of the hall, earning cheers from their classmates.
They weren't just healing.
They were living.
One afternoon, Erica and Nicole found themselves alone in the library.
For the first time in months, they talked—really talked.
"You're happy with Angel, aren't you?" Nicole asked softly.
Erica nodded. "Yeah. I am."
Nicole smiled. "Good. You deserve that."
"You too," Erica said, glancing at Cloud across the room.
Nicole followed her gaze and chuckled. "Yeah. I think I do."
There was no sadness in Erica's heart anymore, just a quiet acceptance.
Nicole had been her first love.
But first loves weren't always forever.
And that was okay.
One time there group planed to have a sleepover at Kim's house and it was a bound to be chaotic, but no one was prepared for this level of chaos.
Risha and Mary were making a mess in the kitchen, trying (and failing) to bake cookies.
Nicole and Cloud were locked in a Mario Kart battle that had become a matter of pride.
Vinish and Steph were giggling on the couch, discussing the latest drama in their class.
Angel was leaning against Erica, tracing absentminded patterns on her wrist, while Audrey and Aedrian argued over which movie to watch.
It wasn't perfect.
But it was home.