Kimberly sat on the bed, feeling the warmth of the soft covers against her skin.
The familiar walls of her room were a bittersweet reminder of the place she had tried to escape in her heart, but now she had chosen to return as part of her plan.
The knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Kimberly!" Mohandria's cheerful voice rang out as the door swung open. She rushed in, followed by Liza and Kaitlyn, all of them beaming with joy.
"You're back!" Kaitlyn exclaimed, pulling Kimberly into a tight hug. Liza joined in, the three friends embracing her warmly.
"I missed you so much," Mohandria said, her voice trembling slightly. "We were so scared for you.
When we heard you were gone, I thought…" She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Kimberly smiled faintly, though the guilt of her secret weighed on her. "I missed you all too," she said softly.
They sat down around her on the bed, chattering excitedly.
