The next day dawned with an unsettling mix of uncertainty and resolve, the world outside Harper’s window clad in grey clouds. As she trudged through the halls of Sulphur Springs High, her heart felt heavy with the weight of the secrets she was keeping—not just from Griffin, but from everyone around her.

Walking into her chemistry class, she spotted Griffin at their usual table, engrossed in a lab assignment. Despite the flicker of warmth she felt seeing him, anxiety twisted in her stomach. The moment she stepped into his line of sight, she recalled her promise from the night before—she would talk to him. But as she approached, the right words eluded her.

“Hey, Harper! Over here!” Griffin waved, pulling her from her thoughts.

“Hey.” She forced a smile, sliding into her seat. “How’s it going?”

“Alright, I guess,” he replied, glancing at her with that familiar mix of concern and curiosity. “You seemed a little off yesterday. Still feeling that way?”

His question caught Harper off guard, and she immediately felt defensive. “I told you I’m okay,” she said quickly, the tension in her voice betraying her true feelings. “Just a lot to deal with.”

“Okay, but you don’t have to put on a brave face around me,” Griffin replied, his tone softening, his eyes filled with concern. “I’m really here for you.”

A part of her wanted to break down and share the burden she was carrying. But at that moment, the fear of what it could cost her won over. “I said I’m fine, Griffin. Can’t you just drop it?”

Griffin’s expression tightened at her sharpness. “Maybe I wouldn’t have to keep asking if you were actually being honest with me. You can’t just keep pretending everything is fine when it’s obviously not.”

“Wow, way to be supportive,” Harper snapped, feeling a surge of frustration. “Just because you think I should be open with you doesn’t mean I am or that I have to be.”

He leaned back, his frustration palpable. “I’m not trying to pressure you! I just want to help! But every time I try to reach out, you push me away. What am I supposed to think?”

“You really don’t get it!” she shot back, her voice rising as the heat of the conversation ignited. “I’m dealing with things you can’t even begin to understand. I don’t need your pity!”

“Pity?” Griffin exclaimed, disbelief etched into his features. “This isn’t about pity! I care about you! I thought friends supported each other, but all you’re doing is putting up walls.”

“Maybe I’m just tired of everyone trying to save me!” she yelled, glancing around the classroom as other students shot them wary glances.

“Fine! If you’re so tired of it, then why don’t you just push me away completely?” Griffin’s voice cracked, filled with frustration and confusion. “I’m trying to be here for you, and you make it impossible!”

Harper felt the sting of his words hit her. “You don’t know what it’s like! You don’t have to watch your life fall apart while pretending to be okay!”

“Yeah, well, you’re not the only one who has stuff going on,” Griffin fired back. “I lost my grandma last year, remember? I’m just trying to figure things out too, but you’re so wrapped up in your world that you don’t even see how much I’m trying to be there!”

“Stop!” Harper shouted, her voice breaking. “You think you can compare our problems? You have no idea—”

“Maybe I don’t! But that doesn’t mean I don’t care!” he interrupted, his voice firm. “It’s like you’re stuck in this hole and refuse to let anyone in. I can’t keep pretending I’m not worried about you because I am!”

Realizing they were drawing more attention, Harper lowered her voice but kept her intensity. “You think you’re the only one who cares? I’m just trying to protect you, Griffin! I don’t want to drag you down with my problems!”

“By pushing me away? That’s your plan? It doesn’t make sense!” He took a deep breath, eyes locked on hers. “You’re scared, and I get it, but I’m the one who signed up to be your friend. You don’t have to do this alone!”

The truth in his words hit her hard, and all at once, the vulnerability she had been protecting welled inside her. But instead of feeling comforted, it only fueled her anger. “How can you say that when you don’t even know what I’m facing? You really want to know? Fine!” she spat, frustration spilling over. “I found something about my dad, something that could change everything! But I can’t even share it with you because I’m terrified of what it means!”

Griffin’s expression shifted, surprise mixing with alarm. “What? Harper, you need to tell me now. What is it?”

“No! I won’t.” She shook her head, tears of frustration welling in her eyes. “You're not ready for this, and I’m not risking you getting hurt because of my problems! If Ben finds out I have that document, I don’t know what he’ll do!”

“I can take care of myself,” Griffin insisted, reaching out to her gently. “But you can’t handle this alone. This is big. You have to let someone in.”

“Don’t you get it?” Harper said, stepping away and crossing her arms, consumed by turmoil. “If I let you in, I risk not just my safety, but yours too. I’m not letting that happen!”

“Then you’re making a big mistake,” Griffin said, disappointment heavy in his tone. “You can’t just keep shutting me out like this. I’m done chasing after you when you’re clearly not willing to meet me halfway!”

With that, the conversation became a battlefield, words like daggers exchanged and hearts feeling heavy. Griffin's shoulders sagged as he turned away, clearly done with the fight. Harper watched him walk away, a mix of sadness and anger coiling within her.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, she sat in silence, reflecting on everything that had just unfolded. She was tired of running alone, tired of pretending that she was unscathed. But opening up also felt like stepping off a cliff into the unknown.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, and although she tried to focus on her classes, her mind kept drifting back to Griffin—his words, his care, and the gap that had grown between them.

By the time she returned home, uncertainty gnawed at her. After dinner, she found herself staring at her reflection in the mirror, the conflict within feeling like a storm ready to break. She held onto the document she had carefully hidden, knowing it was a potent piece of her father's mystery—a mystery she needed to unravel but felt too afraid to confront.

That night, despite her attempts to push it aside, the thought of Griffin lingered. Perhaps it was time to confront her fear of vulnerability. With a deep breath, she took her phone and began typing a message to him, if only to bridge the gap they had created.

*I’m sorry for how I acted today. I know you care, and you deserve the truth. Can we talk tomorrow?*

As she hit send, she felt a sliver of hope pierce through her chaotic thoughts. Maybe she could find a way to let Griffin in after all, but it wouldn’t be easy. The truth was waiting for her—and she had to be ready to face whatever it held, together with Griffin or not.

The next day, Harper woke up feeling a sense of purpose mixed with dread. She knew she had to confront her fears and talk to Griffin. She spent the morning going over what she wanted to say, rehearsing it in her mind. The document felt like a weight in her backpack, a constant reminder of the secrets she was holding onto. She was also intrigued on why she hadn't seen or heard from her mother.

As she arrived at school, the grey clouds overhead seemed to mirror her turbulent thoughts. She headed straight to chemistry class, her heart racing as she took her seat across from Griffin. He looked up, and for a moment, their eyes locked—his filled with unanswered questions, hers clouded with uncertainty.

“Hey,” she said softly, trying to gauge his mood. He nodded but didn’t respond.

“Can we talk?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Sure,” Griffin replied, his tone cautious. “Whenever you’re ready.”

The rest of class passed in silence, with both of them trying to focus while the tension crackled in the air. Harper's anxiety built with every tick of the clock, until the bell finally rang, signalling the end of class.

As the students filed out, Harper took a breath, steeling herself. “Griffin, can we go somewhere? Away from everyone?”

He nodded, and they hurried outside to a quiet spot behind the school where the trees formed a small barrier from prying eyes.

“Okay, Harper. What’s going on?” he prompted gently, but she could see the underlying worry in his expression.

“I want to apologize for what I said the other day. You were just trying to be there for me, and I lashed out,” she began, her voice trembling slightly.

“It’s okay,” he replied, his tone encouraging. “I just didn’t know how to reach you.”

“I’ve been holding onto something,” she said, her heart pounding in her chest. “It’s about my dad.” The words made her throat constrict, and she paused, gathering her thoughts.

Griffin’s eyes widened. “You found something about him?”

Harper nodded, suddenly overwhelmed by the gravity of what she was about to share. “There’s this document… It has information that could change everything about what happened, and I’m terrified of what it might mean for my family. And for you, too.”

“Harper, you have to tell me what it says,” Griffin pressed, his urgency palpable. “It’s important. If it concerns your dad, it concerns you. You shouldn’t be dealing with this alone.”

She took a deep breath, fighting against the swell of emotions threatening to spill over. “I know, but it’s complicated. My dad… he’s in prison for something he didn’t do, and I found evidence that suggests he may have been framed. If Ben finds out I have this, he could—”

“Harper!” Griffin interrupted, stepping closer, concern etched in his features. “You have to show me. This is more than just a piece of paper to throw away. It could be the key to helping him.”

“I know!” she replied, the frustration bubbling back to the surface. “But what if it puts you in danger? I just can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you because of me. What if your dad comes after you? It sounds dangerous, and I don’t want to drag you into my messy life!”

“Look, I’m not going anywhere,” Griffin said firmly, voice steady. “Whatever you find, I want to help. You can’t keep thinking you’re protecting me by pushing me away. That’s not how this works.”

“But it is! It’s easier!” she shouted, feeling her anger resurface. “You don’t know what it’s like to live with this fear every single day! I can’t just drag you into my chaos!”

“Easier for who?” Griffin countered, frustration lacing his tone. “For you? Or for me? You think I want to watch you suffer in silence while I’m right here willing to help? You’re being selfish, Harper. You have to face this—even if I’m by your side.”

The weight of his words caught Harper off-guard, and she felt small under his gaze. “Selfish? I’m trying to protect you,” she replied, her voice quieter now as reality washed over her. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“But you’re losing me anyway,” he said, exasperation mingling with hurt. “By pushing me away, you’re hurting both of us.”

She looked down, the truth of his words piercing through her defenses. “I just don’t know how to handle this.”

“Then let me help you figure it out,” Griffin urged softly. “We’ll figure this out together, but only if you let me in.”

After a long pause, Harper felt the fight begin to leave her. The anger, the fear, all tangled together like a knotted string. She wanted to confide in him and let him in—to embrace the support he offered rather than shutting him out.

“It’s just… it’s scary,” she finally admitted, her voice barely a whisper. “I haven’t trusted anyone in a long time, and I don’t want to ruin what we have.”

Griffin took a small step closer, his eyes softening as he searched hers. “You’re not going to ruin anything by being honest. I promise you that. Whatever it is, I can handle it. You don’t have to be alone.”

With a shaky breath, Harper fished the document out of her backpack—her hands trembled as she unfolded it, revealing the words that held so much weight. “Okay… here it is,” she said quietly, revealing the truth that had been buried behind her fears.

As she handed it to Griffin, she felt a mixture of relief and fear coursing through her veins. This was it—she was finally letting him in.

Griffin read the document carefully, his brow furrowing deeper with every line. After a moment, he looked back up at her, a realization dawning in his eyes. “Harper… this is huge. We have to take this to someone. This could clear your dad’s name.”

“I know,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “But I’m scared of what might happen next. What if it leads to more problems?”

“We’ll deal with them together,” Griffin replied, determination filling his voice. “You’re not alone in this anymore. I promise.”

Harper felt warmth pooling in her chest, a faint flicker of hope igniting as she realized she had finally opened up to him. The future was still uncertain, but at least she wouldn’t have to face it alone—I won’t be alone.

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Also you guys should please update your SOSS stories I'm really bored and have nothing to read.