An hour earlier…

Lora stood there seeing the things that had been the source of her pain all along.

She saw the scene from her childhood. It was Lisa's birthday party.

She had heard the people who were planning to harm Lisa. And what she did?

She ran away in fear, threw her friend to the ground…

She was the worst….only if she could have gathered her courage earlier. Only if she could have informed her mother earlier…

"Don't worry, Lora. You are a brave girl….everything will be alright.." Those were her mother's words when she finally told her what had happened.

Her mother contacted Lisa's mother. Everything was going to be fine now...

She felt relieved….

"But you knew you were too late…" the voice of her reflection rang behind her.

Right, she was late…..Lisa's mother passed away shortly after….

It was from her illness…

"Do you really believe that? Did she looked ill to you?" The reflection asked with an amused tone.

Lisa soon returned, she didn't seem to remember the event clearly. Her memories were fuzzy. It was as if someone had toyed around with her memories.

No one noticed, because they didn't know the truth except her. She had tried to talk indirectly about the event. But Lisa only appeared confused….

She was happy….It was good that she didn't remember the ugly event.

"Wrong! You were relieved….she didn't blame you...you were relieved that no one had found about it…'' the reflection intervened reminding Lora of her true hidden feelings.

Days continued to pass. At first, she was happy. Lisa didn't blame her and smiled at her and still treated her as her best friend.

But that couldn't go on for long, Lisa didn't remember it. But Lora did and as they grew up, the guilt began to eat her up as she started to understand the situation better...she realised that she could have done much more….Lisa's mother might not have died...and yet….

Her eyes slowly started to avoid Lisa, she couldn't look her into the eyes. She couldn't smile any longer beside her. This obviously didn't go unnoticed. Lisa asked her about it, but Lora just denied anything…

Lora's attitude slowly changed, she would do anything Lisa asked. She would do everything for Lisa if she could….

The relation between them no longer resembled that of friends but a Master and Servant.

The other students had started to give Lisa the odd eye. Rumours had begun to float around.

Lisa couldn't take it any longer. She was frustrated over it. No matter how she tried to talk to Lora, she couldn't get through her…

Lora couldn't talk it with her. Lisa didn't remember anything. Did she need to remind her of something so horrible?

Lisa couldn't understand why Lora was doing that only to her….she began to reach her limit...

And one day her anger exploded...

She shouted at Lora in front of the whole class. Lora wasn't in the wrong, she was just trying to help.

"Don't show me your face ever again!!" Lisa's words were still clear in her head.

Their friendship was over. Lora was sad…

"Wrong! You were relieved….you didn't have to see her face...you didn't have to be reminded about it again and again…"

Lora transferred classes immediately after that.

As for Lisa, Lora avoided her at all cost. Lisa had asked her not to show her face. She was doing what she was told....

"You know that's not true….you heard from your friends that she was looking for you….she wanted to talk with you..." the reflection said with a smile.

And one day….

"Aren't you very happy now, Lora?" Those words froze Lora.

"What do you want from her, Lisa?"

"You better watch your tone? Do you think you are superior to her?"

Lora's friends defended her.

"You gonna stay quiet? You really amaze me…." Lisa looked at her.

"N-No….I.." Lora tried to say something but she couldn't get her thoughts together.

"Don't be afraid of her Lora. We are with you…"

"Yeah…"

"You really have got great friends. Unlike me, they don't treat you like a slave. They don't bully you...You can smile with them. Look them in the eyes. Talk to them freely…" Lisa said with a smile, but each of her words seem to pierce through Lora's heart.

"I don't know what you tried to achieve with all of this. But you are a fake person…if you didn't like me, you could have just said so….was there really a need to do so much….are you happy now…..to think I treated you as my friend all those years….even seeing your face disgusts me…"

She didn't know what had happened with Lisa, but it was not wrong go say it was her fault.

Tears began to stream down on Lora's face. She fell onto her knees and began to apologise.

"I am sorry…I am sorry…"

"Lora!" Her friends felt sad seeing her state and became even more enraged at Lisa.

"Who do you think you are? If you really have so much problem then leave this place…"

The children at a younger age obviously lacked proper knowledge of the world

Even if they had an idea about status in the society. It would quickly flow out of the window if they got emotional.

"What a sly b*tch…" Lisa looked at Lora in disgust. She then looked towards her friend, "You know what? You were actually right...I should leave this place for a few years….I really don't wanna see her face…"

And a few days later, Lisa departed for Arcane….

"You wanted to follow after her….you know you did wrong….but you didn't put enough effort to convince mom...you know she would have given in if you tried a bit harder…" the reflection said with a smile.

Aria, Namen, Elly and all the friends came to talk to Lora after hearing what had happened. But Lora couldn't face any one of them….the guilt was tearing her apart…

If she saw anyone related to Lisa, she would feel as if her heart was being cut apart. She would be reminded of everything.

She wanted to kill herself...she attempted to...but failed...luckily her mother was there in the house at that time…

Her mental health deteriorated. She spent the next year on medicines and treatment away from the Capital in the Roxely Territory along with her family while trying to make new friends.

Her mother who had investigated what had happened to her daughter made necessary preparations and cut any form of interaction her daughter didn't want...It was not a good thing in the long run...but they needed to let Lora's condition to stabilise first….

As the entrance for the Magic Academy began, Lora was finally sent back to Capital after two years.

"Mom wanted you to make efforts and mend your broken relationship...yet you still couldn't make any deep efforts…..this time you convinced yourself that you would cause pain for everyone when they had already gotten over it….but in the end you were still afraid….." The reflection said with a smile.

"Mom is always coming at regular intervals to check on you with one or the other reason. You know that she is pained when you even fail to even introduce one new friend to her….you can't even bring over an old friend….she keeps smiling...and you pretend you don't notice it…."

"Stop it…" Lora finally couldn't take it any longer as her mother's face appeared in front of her.

"Lear keeps trying to help you….doesn't he...but you are afraid of telling him the truth…..you are afraid of losing him….he might feel disgusted at your past actions...isn't that right? How can one love a person like you?"

Lora couldn't reply.

"You saw everything that happened today? You know that Lear is doing something dangerous….Lisa is involved as well….you know that you might lose your chance to correct everything if you don't take actions….don't you want to stand by their side and face everything along with them ….do it before it's too late…..you will regret it if you don't..." the reflection said as she looked at Lora who had fallen onto her knees.

The surrounding started to turn dim.

"You just need to stretch out your hand child and reach out for help, no matter how long of a journey it is...it won't begin until you take the first step…." The old spirit's voice rang out before everything cleared and she found herself back under the clear sky.

….

Lora sat in the corner by the tree with her head down.

Lear had initially ignored her in order to let her think about the events that she went through and after a few minutes had passed, he finally decided to approach her.

He didn't say anything but just sat beside her.

"Sniff…Sniff...''

Lear could clearly hear her crying. He gently raised his arm, but stopped in mid air.

But after a bit of hesitation, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and let her body pressed against his side.

"Lear…."

"Hmmn?" Lear looked at her. Her head was still facing downwards.

"I-I did something wrong…...I am not a good person…" Lora gathered all her courage as she lifted her face to look at him. Her eyes were still filled with tears.

"And?" Lear asked as she looked her in the eye.

"I..I...want to change. Will you help me?"

"Of course, I will…" Lear said with a smile as he held her face and wiped the tears off. "The fact you are shedding tears means that you regret it…you are not a bad person Lora..''

" Lear….I-I..'' Lora suddenly looked at him with a determined gaze. "I-"

"Uh! It's getting too hot!!" Mr. Cool's voice rang around.

"Tsk….what the hell is wrong with you? It was just going to be a perfect ending with a kiss..…you are one nasty guy..." Max was displeased at his action.

"Why do I have to care? I haven't been able to enjoy myself this past few months with things getting messy and now I have to put up with you guys goofing around…'' Mr. Cool said with an indifferent look, " Besides, you are the worst one here...what's with beautiful spirit?''

Lora turned her head down but she still didn't let go of Lear's hand. The warmth was soothing to her.

Lear smiled and tightened his grasp on her hand.

"They really have to rub it in….don't they...Just get married already…" Mr. Cool was losing his cool for the first time. He had been holding himself back and yet they were flirting her right in front of him….