Arianna walked briskly through the bustling town center.
Her hands clutching a small shopping list.
Her steps faltered only for a moment as her mind drifted back to the conversation she'd had with Noah the night before.
It hadn't been a long one, but it had left an impression on her.
A mix of confusion, unease, and something else she couldn't quite name.
Noah had been his usual self, seated casually in a chair in Old Man Wilfred's dimly lit shop.
Exuding the same arrogance that somehow never wavered.
She'd stood awkwardly before him, unsure of where to begin or how she'd ended up roped into this situation.
It wasn't like they were friends or anything close to it.
He'd spoken first, his tone indifferent, almost bored.
"Since you've seen me, I'll get straight to the point.
You're not going to tell anyone—not the academy, not your little friends, no one....
Got it?"
She had blinked at him, startled by his bluntness.
But it wasn't entirely unexpected.
Noah Ashbourne wasn't the kind of person to mince words.
"B-but...your missing...
Your room was in flames a-and..."
She said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Why fake your death...?
Why go through all this trouble?"
He had leaned back, crossing his arms as if he had all the time in the world.
"Not your concern."
He said simply, before adding.
"But if you must know, let's just say my family's politics aren't exactly in my favor.
A certain clique would rather see me dead than breathing.
Faking my death buys me time, and more importantly, keeps me alive."
Arianna had felt a pang of sympathy, though she doubted he would care for it.
As a noble herself, she understood how twisted family dynamics could get.
Alliances, betrayals, power struggles—it was all too familiar.
Still, she had to ask.
"But why tell me?
You don't even trust people, do you?"
Noah's eyes, cold and calculating, had locked onto hers.
"No, I don't.
And I'm not telling you because I want to.
I'm telling you because you already know too much.
But for this once, I'll trust you to keep your mouth shut.
Don't make me regret it."
She'd hesitated, biting her lip.
"I-I'm not good at keeping secrets..."
She admitted, her voice small.
"You shouldn't have told me—"
"I don't care..."
He interrupted, his tone sharp.
"I'm telling you now because you don't have a choice.
If you slip up, you'll put more than just me in danger.
So, do me a favor and grow a backbone."
The memory of his words brought a faint blush to her cheeks.
Though it wasn't from embarrassment or anger.
There had been something oddly... sincere in his harshness.
A rarity for someone like Noah.
Shaking her head, Ariana pushed the thought away as she turned into a quieter street.
Scanning the small shops for the items she needed.
Her list was simple: bread, fruit, and something warm she could bring to Noah llater
She knew she shouldn't be doing this—sneaking around to help him, lying to everyone about where she was going.
But after what he'd told her, she couldn't just leave him to fend for himself, not entirely.
And even with old man wilfred... She knew she needed to bring in some things.
Since the old man was used to just feeding himself alone.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the streets in hues of orange and gold.
She rounded a corner and nearly bumped into two familiar figures.
Her friends Clara and Eliza, were laughing and chatting, their arms laden with shopping bags.
"Ariana!" Clara called out, her eyes bright with excitement.
"We were just about to head to the café.
Come with us!"
Eliza nodded eagerly.
"Yeah, you've been so distant lately.
He's been having... digestive issues."
Eliza looked genuinely baffled.
"Digestive issues? Again he's a spirit..."
Buddy groaned dramatically, slapping his forehead with a paw.
Ariana flushed bright red.
"He does! Well, sort of.
It's complicated! Look, he got stomach cramps and couldn't hold it, so he—uh—he had to use the trash container to, um, relieve himself!"
There was a moment of stunned silence.
Both Clara and Eliza stared at her, their jaws slightly agape.
Even Buddy looked utterly horrified.
His glowing orange hue dimming slightly as he covered his face with both paws.
Elara finally found her voice.
"You're telling us... your spirit companion, who doesn't have a physical digestive system, had a... a toilet emergency in a trash container?"
"Yes!"
Ariana said, clutching onto the flimsy lie with both hands.
She draped herself over Buddy dramatically, as if shielding him from further shame.
"It's so embarrassing for him, you know
Poor Buddy....
Don't judge him!"
Buddy let out a low grumble that sounded suspiciously like a sarcastic laugh.
Eliza exchanged a glance with Clara.
"Ariana, are you feeling okay?
Because this is—"
"NOAH IS ALIVE!"
Ariana suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs, cutting Eliza off.
The words echoed in the narrow street.
A bird perched on a nearby rooftop squawked and flew off.
The bustling noises of the town seemed to fade into stunned silence for a split second as her friends gaped at her.
As soon as the words left her mouth, Ariana slapped her hands over it, eyes wide with horror.
'Oh no. Oh no no no.'
Buddy groaned loudly and smacked his forehead again.
This time with enough force to make his translucent form ripple slightly.
Clara and Eliza didn't move.
They simply stood there, frozen, their faces a perfect mixture of shock and disbelief.
"What... what did you just say?"
Clara finally managed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ariana shook her head wildly.
"Nothing! I didn't say anything!"
Eliza narrowed her eyes.
"You said Noah is alive. As in Noah Ashbourne?
The guy who's supposed to be dead?
That Noah?"
"No! I mean, yes! I mean—no!
You misheard me!"
Ariana's words tumbled out in a frantic mess.
"I said... 'Buddy is a dive.'
Like, you know, he likes diving!
In the trash! For food!
Spirits get hungry too, you know!"
Buddy growled softly, burying his face in his paws as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Elara stepped closer, her brows furrowed.
"Ariana, what is going on?
Are you hiding something?"
"I'm not hiding anything!"
Ariana said, her voice reaching a high-pitched squeak.
"Nothing at all!"
{Buddy, help me out here!}
Buddy sat down on his haunches and gave her a long, unimpressed stare before turning his head away as if to say.
{You're on your own, kid}
Ariana's brain scrambled for something, anything, to get her out of this mess.
But the more she tried to think, the worse it got.
Finally, she threw up her hands and shouted,
"Fine! Yes! Noah is alive!
But you can't tell anyone!"
Clara and Eliza looked like they'd been struck by lightning.
"Whaaaatttt?!"
They exclaimed in unison.