Simon sat at one of the desks in the center of the library, his worry growing with every second. Cassie and Tiffany were making fun of Leyla, their sharp laughter slicing through the hush that normally ruled the place. Behind the lenses of his glasses, his eyes had darkened, a storm gathering there as he watched.

  Compelled to step in, he shot up from his chair. The legs screeched across the polished floor, drawing curious glances from nearby students. Heart hammering in his chest, he strode toward Leyla with more resolve than his quiet, thoughtful demeanor usually allowed. Some strange urgency coursed through him, as if this moment were just the beginning of something much larger.

  Taylor had been watching from a distance, leaning casually against a bookshelf. His air of detachment couldn’t hide the sharp severity in his gaze as it locked on Cassie and Tiffany. Those cold, piercing eyes spoke louder than any threat, and the two girls, despite their attempt to keep up a facade of superiority, understood instantly they’d crossed a line. No words were needed. No dramatic gesture. His presence alone was enough to reassert control.

  Cassie and Tiffany withdrew with arrogant poise, tossing Leyla one last mocking glance as if to promise this wasn’t over.

  The silence that followed felt like a single breath held by the entire room. Taylor and Simon exchanged a quick glance, heavy with unspoken understanding.

  Taylor, admired by many yet drawn to solitude, usually kept to the sidelines, far from gossip and idle chatter. But when he chose to step in, he did it with conviction, especially to shield those who couldn’t defend themselves. He wasn’t the type to get involved. Not unless there was a reason. And right now, there was: Leyla, her eyes wounded and that little braid still glowing a vivid red, needed someone in her corner.

  “Hey, I’m Simon!” he said, approaching her with a shy but genuine smile. “I’m really sorry about what just happened. I don’t know exactly what they said to you, but judging from your face… yeah, I can imagine. I know it won’t make you feel any better, but you just had to deal with the worst girls in the neighborhood.”

  Leyla, cheeks still burning from the humiliation, barely heard him. Her eyes stayed locked on the two bullies until they disappeared through the doorway. Her heart pounded—not only from anger, but from the frustration of having frozen instead of fighting back. Simon’s kind words reached her as if muffled, like they were coming from another room.

  He tried to distract her. “Hey, look at me. They’re not worth it. Want to tell me what you were looking for? Or did you already find it?” His voice was calm, reassuring, like an anchor she could cling to.

  Simon was the classic nerd: glasses, messy hair, and that air of young intellectual he never quite shook off. He ran a gym, an odd job for someone like him, but one he carried out with surprising dedication. In his free time, he escaped to the Meeting Center, where he could indulge his passion for new tech. He wasn’t just a programming whiz; his brilliance extended to logic and deduction too, able to crack any security code thrown his way. A sharp mind, boxed into a role that never really did him justice.

  Taylor knew well the cruelty of Cassie and Tiffany; he’d been their target before, but he’d learned to keep them at a distance. This time, though, he let Simon be the one to comfort Leyla. From afar, his eyes lingered on her face. He sensed a hidden strength there that caught him off guard. And that fiery-red braid, almost magical, left him speechless, like a mark of something extraordinary. Yet his natural reserve held him back, kept him from taking that one step closer.

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  In the neighborhood, Taylor was known for his charisma: tall, athletic, with slightly wavy black hair, a sculpted face, and green eyes that seemed to glow even in the dark. He worked at the Great Factory, but in his free time he volunteered as an assistant in the library, a role that let him explore far-off worlds while staying in his quiet refuge. Adam trusted him completely and saw him as a reassuring presence for the younger ones.

  Still fuming, Leyla turned on Simon and on Taylor, who had drawn closer without making a sound, with a razor-sharp tone. “You came rushing to my rescue because you think I’m some poor cripple?” Her voice, raw with bitterness, cut deep into anyone within earshot. Then, snapping at Simon, she added harshly: “Now, please, move. I’m not staying here another minute.”

  She gripped her crutches hard and made for the exit. As she passed Taylor, he lowered his gaze out of respect. His eyes shifted briefly to the floor, giving her the space she needed.

  The silence that followed was thick with tension. Simon and Taylor exchanged a quick glance, a silent flicker of concern, but neither dared to go after her. Leyla was a storm on the move, and no one could stop her.

  “Leyla… where are you going?” Adam called from the reception desk, but his words fell on deaf ears.

  “Wait, stop!” he pleaded.

  “I just want to go home!” Leyla shot back, her voice burning with anger.

  “But what happened? I can help you, I swear!”

  “There’s nothing to fix,” she replied firmly. “I just want to go back to my room.” With a sharp move, she pulled free from Adam’s grip, leaving him empty-handed and heartbroken.

  “Be reasonable. You can’t wander around alone, and I can’t go with you.”

  “Can’t go here, can’t go there! It’s always the same story!” she snapped, stomping down the steps. “What else do you think they can do to me? Haven’t I had enough already?”

  Adam stayed by her side, powerless, while her words bled into the roar of traffic.

  Thankfully, Helen came rushing over. Her face was flushed, her eyes wide as she blocked Leyla’s path. “For heaven’s sake! I can’t leave for a moment and, what on earth is going on?”

  Seeing Helen so shaken, Leyla felt her fury weaken. A shadow of remorse crossed her face. “Nothing happened. I just want to go home. I promise I won’t cause any more trouble.”

  Adam, forced to retreat, left the two of them alone. All he hoped was that the day would end soon, so he could go home and comfort Helen.

  On the way back, she quickened her pace, hoping to dodge any questions. Helen followed a few steps behind, respecting her need for space.

  She wanted to be alone. She needed to untangle her thoughts. Cassie and Tiffany had only fueled a fire that had already been burning inside her.

  I need to strengthen my legs, get rid of these crutches as soon as possible. In the meantime, I’ll study the map of Edenlost—the one I secretly swiped from the library. I feel bad for Adam, he welcomed me with such kindness… but I had no choice. It was necessary. I have to find a way out, she thought.

  Her face tense, sweat beading on her forehead, she reached the landing and waited for Helen to open the door. Another limitation she refused to submit to any longer.

  Without meeting her eyes, Helen unlocked the door with her fingerprint, and the two of them stepped inside.

  Leyla stood frozen, staring into the void. She had let down the one person she cared about most.

  After a long silence, Helen spoke in a calm, steady voice. “Say something, please! I just want to help you. That strong will of yours could get you into serious trouble here in Edenlost. If that ever happened… it would break my heart.”

  With tears glistening in her eyes, Leyla answered: “I’m sorry for dragging you into this. But right now, I need to be alone. Once I’ve calmed down, you’ll be the first person I talk to.”

  She stepped closer to Helen, took her hands, and kissed her gently on the cheek. “I’m sorry,” she said, her expression full of gratitude and regret.

  “It’s all right, my dear. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  Between a silent protector and a kind soul, Leyla is searching for her own way out. The secrets of Edenlost are just beginning to unfold. > Drop a comment and let me know which side you're on! Your feedback makes this journey possible. ???