SHALVILE: between heartbeats and secret

Carly’s POV

The knock came again.

Sharp. Firm. Familiar.

I didn’t even need to guess.

“Yeah… come in,” I muttered, my voice heavy with sleep, my eyes barely open.

The door creaked, and there she was.

Mom.

Standing like a strict examiner already.

“Are you prepared to write the exam?” she asked.

Straight to the point. No good morning. No mercy.

I groaned internally.

“Wah?” I dragged out, even though I knew exactly what she meant.

Her expression didn’t change.

Not even a little.

“Get up. Take a bath. Brush your teeth. Look responsible,” she said, each word landing like an instruction manual. “And do the same for your kid brother.”

Then she turned and left.

Leaving the door open.

Of course she did.

I stared at it in annoyance.

Ugh.

I sat up slowly, running my fingers through my hair, trying to gather my thoughts.

Why am I even doing this again?

Oh right.

The scholarship exam.

For the most annoying, overhyped, ridiculously expensive school ever—

SHALVILE.

Even the name sounded proud of itself.

After forcing myself into “responsible human mode,” I turned my attention to Max.

“Come here, you little gremlin,” I muttered, fixing his shirt.

“Thank you, Carly,” he said, smiling so sweetly it almost melted my irritation.

Almost.

We headed to the dining table. Mom was already eating, as usual, so we joined her.

Breakfast: toasted bread and hot chocolate tea.

Simple.

Quiet.

Until—

“I’m sorry, Carly,” Mom said softly, breaking the silence. “I know it’s hard for you… it’s hard for me too… and Max.”

She paused, taking a bite of bread.

“But you have to write the exam. I heard it’s really great there. Margaret told me…”

Her voice carried hope.

Expectation.

Pressure.

I sighed.

“Alright, Mom. I’ll try.”

That was enough.

Her face softened instantly.

“Thank you, my sweetheart.”

She leaned over and kissed me before grabbing her coat like she was already late for life.

“Let’s go, Max,” she whispered.

Max stood, pecked my cheek, and followed her out.

And just like that—

Silence.

The house felt… empty again.

Too quiet.

Too loud.

My thoughts started running wild.

Before I could overthink it, I logged into the school portal and registered.

Twenty minutes later—

The exam started.

Honestly?

It was easy.

Suspiciously easy.

Thirty minutes after finishing—

Results released.

Passed.

Of course.

Mom would be over the moon.

Me?

I just stared at the screen.

Waiting to feel something.

Excitement.

Fear.

Anything.

But nothing came.

Except one thing.

Sleep.

My one true love.

I lay down—and drifted off.

—

The dream came fast.

Too fast.

A man stood in the distance.

Tall.

Still.

Watching me.

“I’m your father,” he said.

My heart dropped.

“I’ve come to take you.”

Cold.

Everything went cold.

Fear gripped me so tight I couldn’t breathe—

I woke up screaming.

“What happened, dear?”

Mom.

Of course.

She was right beside me, just like always whenever nightmares found me.

I looked at her, my chest rising and falling rapidly.

Dad is dead.

That’s what she said.

So why did it feel so real?

A horrible thought crept in.

Does this mean… I’m going to die?

Tears spilled before I could stop them.

I broke down, and Mom pulled me into her arms instantly.

“It’s okay, my sweet girl,” she whispered.

Her warmth steadied me.

Her presence grounded me.

“I love you, Mom,” I said weakly.

Then—

Knock.

We both turned.

We walked to the door together.

“Hello ma, is this Miss Carly’s residence?” the delivery man asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

“This package is from SHALVILE Schools.”

Of course it is.

Mom collected it while I signed.

“Thank you.”

He left.

We stared at the box.

Big.

Neat.

Important.

We opened it.

Inside—

A perfectly folded royal blue uniform.

Polished shoes.

A school bag.

And—

My ID card.

Official.

Real.

Final.

Mom’s reaction?

Pure joy.

She hugged me over and over like I had just won a lifetime award.

Me?

I just stood there.

Not happy.

Not sad.

Just…

Existing.

—

Rose’s POV

I couldn’t stop smiling.

Or crying.

Or both.

My daughter… going to SHALVILE.

It felt unreal.

This was the dream her father and I had built together… the future we imagined for her before everything changed.

And now—

It was happening.

But a quiet question lingered in my heart.

Am I forcing her?

Am I choosing this… over her own dreams?

I swallowed the thought.

It doesn’t matter… right?

She’ll be happy.

Max will be happy.

We’ll all be happy.

…Right?

I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, but all I could see was her.

Carly.

Dressed in that royal blue uniform.

Her golden hair falling perfectly.

Her bright smile lighting up everything around her.

Perfect.

She looked so perfect.

And in that moment—

I felt it.

Pride.

Deep.

Heavy.

Unshakable.

But beneath it…

Something else quietly lingered.

Something I couldn’t quite name.