"We managed to raise a large amount of money back then," Cielo said quietly.
Julie turned to him. "Did you give it directly to Crisha?"
"No," he replied. "We handed it to her mother. Since it was such a huge amount, we needed a passbook under Crisha's name. At first, her mother refused—but Jason insisted."
Julie listened carefully.
"H–How much was it?" she asked.
"The estimated bill was around fifteen million," Cielo said. "Kenneth's band raised most of it."
Julie blinked.
"Not fifteen," Kenneth corrected gently. "It was closer to twenty-five million."
Julie swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay calm. This school really is full of people from another world, she thought.
"Whose name was on the account?" she asked.
"Crisha's," Jason replied. "Her mother insisted it be hers alone. They're good people."
"Did she… get better?" Julie asked softly.
Silence filled the room.
Raymond exhaled deeply. "About a week after we handed the money over, we stopped hearing from her."
Cielo's jaw tightened. "When I went to check on her… she was gone. And so was the passbook."
Julie's breath caught. "Missing?"
"Yes," Kenneth said gravely. "Leukemia is treatable—if procedures are followed. She had the means to fight. People wanted her to live."
Jenny nodded sadly. "Her doctor confirmed that."
"I spoke with her mother," Cielo continued. "Crisha had already regained enough strength to receive visitors. Her mother said a classmate visited her—someone she didn't recognize. But Crisha did."
His voice dropped. "They asked her for help."
Everyone knew what that meant.
"She was too kind," Neah said quietly. "That same day, Kenneth received a call. Someone had seen Crisha."
Kelly's hands trembled.
"I… I was the one who saw her," she whispered.
Melissa gasped. "Sis…"
"I didn't tell the truth," Kelly continued, tears forming. "I was scared. Scared of being dragged into it."
******
Kelly closed her eyes.
Breathe. Calm down.
Kevin squeezed her hand gently. "It's okay. Take your time."
She inhaled shakily and began.
It was a Sunday.
Kelly had gone out for a walk, trying to quiet her thoughts—when she saw someone familiar.
Crisha…?
She frowned. She should still be in the hospital.
Crisha looked weak—pale, unsteady—but she wasn't alone.
She was with four people.
Instinctively, Kelly hid.
Her chest tightened as she recognized them.
Claire.Vanissa.Airah.Dawn.
Kelly pulled out her phone and started recording.
They led Crisha toward the river—the same place where Crisha had once pulled her from drowning.
"Do you have the passbook?" Dawn asked.
Crisha nodded and handed it over.
"Please return it soon," Crisha said weakly. "I need it for my treatment."
Dawn scoffed. "That money isn't really yours. People donated out of kindness. Share with us—just ten million."
"I… I'm grateful," Crisha whispered.
Claire smirked and patted her shoulder.
Kelly saw it—the glance, the signal.
Then suddenly—
They pushed her.
Kelly gasped.
Crisha fell into the river, hands thrashing, mouth opening in a silent cry.
Kelly's phone kept recording.
Fear froze her in place.
If I step out now… they'll twist everything.
She stayed hidden.
Until they left.
Then Kelly ran.
Please—please don't let me be too late.
She jumped in.
She found Crisha in the shallows—cold, unmoving.
Kelly screamed silently as she tried to revive her.
Wake up. Please…
But her phone was gone.
She turned back—
Claire was there.
"This is a good alibi," Claire sneered, grabbing Kelly's hair. "You know what happened, right?"
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Keep quiet. Or else."
Claire called Kenneth, pretending panic, while Vanissa restrained Kelly.
When help arrived—it was already too late.
Crisha was gone.
Shock turned into blame.
Crisha's mother slapped Kelly, accusing her of not calling sooner.
Her parents paid damages—so Kelly wouldn't be charged for something she didn't do.
Kelly wasn't allowed at the wake.
People shouted at her.
If only I had called sooner…
Kelly broke down.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I was a coward."
Steph wrapped her in a tight embrace, letting her cry.
Kevin stepped forward, holding something in his hand.
"Is this the phone you were talking about?"
Kelly froze.
Her old phone.
"W–Where did you find it?" she whispered.
"Where you dropped it—by the river," Kevin said gently. "You never stopped recording. I was the one who ended the video."
"It didn't have a password," he added softly.
Angie's voice shook. "That means…"
"Yes," Kevin said. "It's evidence."
He pulled Kelly into his arms.
"It's going to be okay now."