REVERIE

The soft crackle of the campfire did nothing to break the laughter of the group huddled around it. The burning wood snapped and hissed, its smoke stinging their eyes, but they were used to it. It was tradition — every time they gathered like this, someone had a story to tell.

“So, who’s starting this time?” Kai asked, setting his guitar aside after his easygoing performance.

Ivy merely shrugged and leaned against his shoulder, waiting for the storytelling to begin.

“As usual, our queen. Aria!” Jax clapped his hands, his cheerful whoop slicing through the stillness of the night.

Four pairs of eyes turned toward Aria, who was sipping hot cocoa topped with overflowing marshmallows. She lifted her gaze to Kai, Jax, Ivy, and Luna — as if seeking their silent permission to begin.

“Go on,” Luna said, her voice gentle but carrying the weight of command. “Let’s hear what you’ve got this time.”

Aria slowly set her cup aside. Her fingers drummed absently against her knee — uneven, restless.

Ivy narrowed her eyes, inhaling sharply. Luna bit her lip, fingers toying with her cup as she leaned in slightly. Both watched Aria with subtle tension, curiosity prickling between them.

“People love ghost stories,” Aria began softly. “They say they’re scary. But… do you know what’s even scarier than ghosts?”

Silence. The night wind whispered through the trees, and the campfire’s crackle grew louder in the stillness. Shadows of flame danced across their faces, flickering in Aria’s eyes — darker than the fire should allow.

“Humans.”

Her voice sank beneath the sound of burning wood, leaving behind a piercing quiet. She exhaled slowly, her eyes still fixed on the fire — as if seeing something far darker beyond the flames.

“Have you ever wondered,” Aria continued, her tone now softer, deeper, “what the true worth of friendship is?”

Ivy frowned slightly, confused. “What do you mean?” she asked, leaning forward. “Like… us?”

Aria smiled faintly. Calm, but off somehow — a stillness too deliberate. “Something like that… but,” she took another sip of cocoa, avoiding their gazes, “with a higher price.”

Luna leaned in, trying to read her expression. “Aria… what are you really saying? I don’t get it.”

Aria didn’t answer immediately. She stared into the flames, her eyes empty for a moment — as though recalling something too dark to voice.

“When friendship… stops being about sincerity,” she murmured, “and becomes about motive.”

Jax let out a short laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “Like a ‘friend with benefits,’ huh? As long as you’re useful, I’m around.”

Aria didn’t even flinch. “Yeah… something like that. But what happens,” she paused, breath trembling slightly, “when the one being used… stops wanting to endure it?”

Luna and Ivy exchanged uneasy looks. A subtle chill crept into the circle.

“Aria,” Luna said gently, suspicion curling beneath her tone, “what are you trying to say? Are you saying we’ve used you… or what?”

Aria met each of their eyes in turn. Her voice was calm — too calm — but it cut deep. “It’s just a story. A story where friendship becomes a transaction.”

Kai, who had been silent all this while, finally spoke — his voice low, serious. “Aria… is this about someone you know?”

Aria lowered her gaze, brushing a finger through the ashes near the fire. The dancing light warped across her face. “A story from school,” she said quietly. “When memories… turn into nightmares.”

Silence reclaimed the night. Only the crackle of fire filled the air. Their shadows stretched long across the ground — uneasy, shifting — as if something unseen lingered just beyond the circle of light.

“Yes. But… what if the one being used… no longer wants to endure it?”

A heavy pause. Luna and Ivy exchanged uneasy glances.

“Aria… are you saying we’ve been using you?” Luna asked softly, suspicion seeping in.

Aria’s gaze swept over each of them. Her voice was calm, but cutting. “Just a story. About when friendship turns into business.”

Kai, silent until now, finally spoke — his tone grave. “Aria… are you talking about someone you know?”

Aria lowered her head, tracing ash in the dirt. The shadows on her face flickered with the fire’s dance. “A story from school…” She drew a deep breath. “When memories… become nightmares.”

Silence fell again. No one laughed this time. Only the fire kept burning.