Sunlight crept through my blinds, piercing my eyelids and dragging me out of the half-sleep I’d managed to fall into. I groaned, rolling over and burying my face into the pillow, trying to escape the light and the swirling thoughts that had kept me up all night. My room felt colder than usual, or maybe that was just the emptiness curling around me, tightening its grip with each breath. I replayed last night’s conversation over and over, each version somehow worse than the one before. I had expected them to be surprised. I had expected questions, maybe even disbelief. But I hadn’t expected the heavy silence that followed my words. Mae’s eyes had gone wide, her mouth slightly open like she was searching for the right thing to say but came up empty. Leo’s face had been unreadable, his jaw tight, hands shoved deep in his pockets. He looked at me like he didn’t know me at all. I should’ve told them sooner. Or maybe not at all. The three of us had been a team for as long as I could remember. Everyone knew where one of us was, the others wouldn’t be far behind. I was the one breaking the balance. I was the one leaving. My chest tightened as I remembered the way Mae’s smile faltered. “We… we need to think about it,” she had said, her voice careful, almost fragile. “It’s late, and… maybe we should talk tomorrow?” Leo had just nodded, but he didn’t look at me. Not even once. They hadn’t hugged me goodbye like they always did. They hadn’t texted all night. Not even a stupid meme or a goodnight emoji. The silence was suffocating. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, shattering the heavy quiet. I bolted upright, my heart hammering as I grabbed it, half-afraid of what I would see. It was from our group chat. **Mae:** _Meet at Willow’s ==Café== in an hour? All of us should talk._ My stomach dropped. I stared at the message until the words blurred. This was it. I had to face whatever they were feeling—anger, hurt, betrayal. They were my best friends, and I was breaking their hearts. A knot formed in my throat, and my fingers trembled as I typed a reply. **Me:** _I’ll be there._ My reflection in the mirror looked like a ghost. Eyes swollen from lack of sleep, hair sticking out in every direction. I ran a brush through it, but it fell limply against my shoulders, refusing to cooperate. It didn’t matter. They weren’t going to care what I looked like. Not today. I pulled on a hoodie and my favorite jeans, the ones Mae always called my “good luck pants.” I wondered if she’d remember that. Or if she’d even care. I took the long way to Willow’s ==Café==, dragging my feet along the familiar sidewalks. Everything looked the same—the old brick buildings, the cracked pavement, the streetlamps that never seemed to work right. The tiny town of ==Windmere== was as unchanged as ever, and yet everything felt different. Would they understand why I was leaving? Would they hate me for it? I spotted Mae and Leo through the ==café== window, huddled together at our usual table. They were talking, faces close, expressions serious. Mae was wringing her hands, her shoulders tense. Leo’s jaw was clenched, his eyes focused on the table like he was avoiding looking at her. My heart sank. They were already discussing it without me. Probably deciding how to tell me goodbye. I took a deep breath, trying to gather the courage I wasn’t sure I had. I almost turned around, almost ran back home and pretended this was just another Saturday morning. But I couldn’t. I owed them more than that. I pushed the door open, and the bell above jingled, announcing my arrival. They both looked up, their faces softening when they saw me. But their eyes were guarded, uncertainty swirling behind their smiles. “Hey,” I said, trying to sound normal. Trying to pretend everything was fine. Mae scooted over to make room for me, patting the seat next to her. “Hey, ==Sera==. We… um, we were just talking.” “Yeah, I figured.” I tried to smile, but it felt forced. I slid into the booth, my body stiff, my heart pounding. “Look, if this is about last night, I—” “We just want to understand,” Leo cut in, his voice firm but not unkind. “We get that you want to go, but… why?” I opened my mouth, then closed it again, searching for the right words. How could I explain the restlessness clawing at me? The feeling that no matter how much I loved this town, it was too small. That I needed more than this place could give me? “I just… I need something different,” I admitted, my voice wavering. “I feel like I’m suffocating here. I love you guys, and I love ==Windmere==, but… I need to see what else is out there.” Mae’s eyes filled with tears, and she looked away, chewing on her bottom lip. Leo’s shoulders slumped, his fingers drumming anxiously on the table. “I get that,” Leo finally said, his voice low. “But why didn’t you tell us sooner?” “I didn’t know how,” I whispered. “I didn’t want to hurt you.” Mae let out a shaky breath, wiping at her eyes. “You’re my best friend, ==Sera==. You’re like… my sister. This feels like you’re abandoning us.” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I wanted to reach out, to hug her, to tell her that nothing would change. But that would be a lie. Everything was changing. “I’m not abandoning you,” I said, my voice cracking. “I just… I need to do this for me. I need to find out who I am outside of this place.” Leo sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I don’t like it. But… I get it.” His eyes softened, the hardness fading. “I just wish you didn’t have to go so far to figure that out.” “I know,” I whispered. “I wish it could be easier, too.” Mae sniffed, finally meeting my gaze. “I don’t want to lose you, ==Sera==.” “You won’t,” I promised, even though I wasn’t sure how true that was. “No matter where I go, you guys will always be my best friends.” We sat there in silence, the weight of the conversation hanging heavy between us. The ==café== buzzed around us—coffee machines hissing, plates clinking, people laughing. But in our corner, the world felt frozen, teetering on the edge of something we couldn’t take back. Mae wiped her eyes again, forcing a wobbly smile. “Okay, then. If you’re doing this… we better make the most of the time we have left.” A lump formed in my throat, and I nodded, my vision blurring. “Yeah. I’d like that.” Leo smirked, his eyes brightening just a little. “Then get ready, ==Sera==. We’re gonna give you so many memories, you won’t be able to forget us even if you tried.” I laughed, the tension easing just a bit. Maybe it wasn’t going to be easy. Maybe it would hurt more than I could imagine. But at least I wouldn’t have to face it alone. Mae crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at me. “Before we do any of this fun, daisy sing-song activities, you, ==Seraphine== Hannah ==Thorne==, must tell our parents and get that out of the way before I’m strangled for letting you go.” My heart dropped, my stomach twisting into knots. “Mae…” “Nope. Not letting you weasel out of this one.” She stood up, grabbing her bag and motioning for us to follow. “You’re going to tell them, and you’re going to do it today. Rip the Band-Aid off.” Leo raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. “You sure about this, Mae? Last time ==Sera== had bad news, your mom cried for an hour straight.” “Exactly.” Mae’s expression softened, a flicker of worry in her eyes. “If she finds out I knew and didn’t tell her… Well, let’s just say I’m not risking being cut off from enchiladas for life.” “I didn’t even think about that.” I teased Mae’s face softened, her fingers resting gently on my shoulder. “Hey, I know this is hard, but… they deserve to hear it from you. Not from gossip or some overheard conversation.” I nodded, my chest tightening. “You’re right. I owe them that.” “Damn right, I’m right.” She huffed, grabbing her keys. “We’re going to my house. And don’t even think about eating here. If we show up full, my mom will know something’s up, and we’ll never get out of there.” Leo laughed, standing up and tossing a few bills on the table. “She’s not wrong. Last time I refused seconds, she checked my temperature and called my mom to see if I was dying.” I couldn’t help but smile, the tension easing just a little. “Alright. Let’s get this over with.” The car ride to Mae’s house was too short, the familiar streets blurring by as anxiety clawed at me. Mae hummed along to the radio, pretending like this was just another ordinary Saturday. Leo tapped his fingers on his thigh, his jaw clenched, eyes fixed on the road. I could feel the unease rolling off him. We pulled into the driveway, and my heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest. Mae’s house was everything her mother was—vibrant flowers lining the walkway, the porch swing gently swaying in the breeze. It was warm, welcoming… home. And I was about to break their hearts. Mae glanced at me before opening her door. “You ready?” “Nope,” I admitted, my voice cracking. “Not even a little.” She squeezed my hand, her eyes softening. “We’re here. Whatever happens… you’re not doing this alone.” Leo stood by the front door, waiting for us. He didn’t say anything, but his presence was steady, grounding. I took a shaky breath, nodding. “Okay. Let’s do this.” We walked up to the door together, and Mae pushed it open, the familiar scent of cinnamon and vanilla enveloping us. Her mom’s voice drifted from the kitchen, warm and musical as she sang along to an old Spanish ballad. She looked up as we walked in, her face lighting up. “Ah, my three musketeers! You’re just in time—I made ==empanadas==!” My stomach churned. Mae threw me a look, mouthing, _I told you so._ I tried to smile, my heart heavy. “Hi, Mrs. Navarro.” Her face fell, eyes narrowing as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel. “What’s wrong, mi ==cielo==?” Her gaze flicked to Mae, then Leo, before settling back on me. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” I swallowed, my mouth dry. “I… I need to tell you something.” Mae’s mom’s expression softened, and she opened her arms, pulling me into a hug. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. You know that.” Her warmth, her kindness—it was too much. My eyes stung, and my throat tightened. But I couldn’t back out now. I took a deep breath, my voice trembling. “I’m leaving ==Windmere==.” The room fell silent. For a heartbeat, the only sound was the soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant notes of the ballad still playing. Mrs. Navarro’s face softened, her eyes misting as she pulled me into a tighter hug. “Oh, mi ==cielo==… I knew this day would come.” Her voice was warm, a little sad, but not surprised. “You’re meant for great things, ==Seraphine==.” My chest tightened, and the knot in my throat grew. “You’re… not mad?” She pulled back, her hands resting on my shoulders as she looked at me, really looked at me. “How could I be mad? You’re chasing your dreams, ==mija==. It takes courage to leave everything you know for the unknown.” I felt the tears prick at my eyes, relief flooding through me. I hadn’t realized how much I needed her approval until now. “I was so scared to tell you. I didn’t want you to be disappointed.” “Disappointed?” She cupped my face, her thumb brushing away a stray tear. “Never. You’ve always been brave, ==Seraphine==. Even when you were little, chasing after ==Maelis== and dragging Leo on all your adventures.” She laughed softly, her eyes far away with memories. “I knew you wouldn’t stay in ==Windmere== forever. And plus your mother told me a couple days ago”she winked letting me out of her grasp My shoulders relaxed, and I managed a shaky laugh. “I’m going to miss your ==empanadas==.” Her face brightened, and she patted my cheek. “And you better come back for them. If you don’t, I’ll hunt you down and make you eat a dozen.” I laughed, the tension easing. “Deal.” “Wait a minute…” Mae’s voice cut through the moment, her eyes wide with shock. “you knew?” Mrs. Navarro’s expression shifted, a guilty smile tugging at her lips. “Yes, Mrs. ==Thorne’s== mom told me last week.” Mae’s mouth dropped open. “_¿==Qué==?_” Her hands flew to her hips, her eyes blazing. “_¿==Mamá==, ==tú== ==sabías== y no me ==dijiste==? ¿==Qué== ==carajo==?_” “==Maelis==! Language!” Her mother scolded, waving a wooden spoon at her. “It wasn’t my place to tell you. You would find out eventually, ==mis== ==amores==.” Her voice softened, and she looked at both of us, her gaze tender. “I knew she needed to tell you herself.” Mae’s shoulders slumped, the fire leaving her eyes. “I… I just… I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” “I’m sorry, ==hija==.” Mrs. Navarro pulled her into a hug, rubbing Mae’s back. “But you would’ve been hurt if you heard it from anyone else.” Mae sighed, her face buried in her mom’s shoulder. “I just don’t want her to leave.” “I know, mi ==amor==. But she’s not leaving you alone you have Leo” she motioned for ==leo== who was leaning against the door frame watching everything play out. I felt my throat tighten again, watching them. “I could never leave you behind. Either of you.” My voice cracked, and Mae’s head snapped up, her eyes glistening. “Well, you’re still a jerk for not telling us sooner,” she sniffed, wiping her eyes. “Glad you said it” Leo said I laughed, a watery sound that was more relief than joy. “Yeah… I guess I am.” “Damn right, you are.” She pulled me into a fierce hug, holding on like she was afraid I’d disappear if she let go. “But you’re our jerk.” Leo leaned against the counter, his arms crossed and a smile tugging at his lips. “Well, if anyone’s going to leave this town and do something amazing, it’s you, ==Sera==.” I looked at him, his blue eyes warm and steady. “You really think so?” He shrugged, his grin widening. “I know so. And I’ll be right here, cheering you on… even if I have to do it from miles away.” My heart swelled, and I felt the tears spill over. “You guys are the best.” Mae rolled her eyes, pretending to be annoyed, but her arms stayed wrapped around me. “Yeah, well… don’t you forget it.” I held on to them both, my heart aching with gratitude and sadness. I was leaving ==Windmere==, but I’d never leave them. Not really. Not ever.