“There has to be another way, You can't tell me this was the only idea you came up with.”

  Crystal, my best friend spoke, her voice shaky with frustration . Her eyes were wide, filled with disbelief as she walked with me into our hostel.

  “I mean, seriously , there has to be another solution to this situation , you can't just…”

  She paused , her voice tripping over themselves.

  “You can't just do this, it is so risky as hell, there must be something else we can come up with.”

  I felt a knot tighten in my chest . I knew she wasn't wrong, but the weight of my situation left me with a little room for alternatives.

  ‘YOU KNOW DEEP DOWN SHE IS RIGHT,ELARA’.

  My wolf, AMOR, agreed with her, but I chose to ignore her.

  “I wish there was another way.”

  I said quietly, avoiding making eye contact with Crystal, I gazed at the wooden floor of the hostel, each step she took echoed in the empty hall like a tik tok wall clock. I could feel her Displeasure hanging in the air, her shoes scraping against the floor as she paced.

  “You're just going to walk into this, no questions asked?.”

  Crystal’s voice cracked, her eyes searching mine for some sign of uncertainty , something to cling to. But I didn't say a word, the weight of the decision pressing on me harder with each passing second.

  “I wish there was another way.”

  I repeated, my voice was barely above the hum of the overhead lights, my words a fragile whisper.

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  Amor stirred uneasily inside my mind, a soft growl vibrating through me as if trying to force me to listen. But I couldn't. The plan, the only plan, kept replaying in my head like a broken record, its edges sharp and unyielding. No other options, no other way.

  Crystal stopped pacing, standing directly in front of me now, her breath coming in ragged bursts.

  "There has to be another way, someone you can call…”

  “There is no one. Okay, I don't have or know anyone else in my life, my father, my mother and you.”

  I said, my voice thick with the weight of the truth, the rawness of it hanging between us like a cold shadow.

  Crystal then sat next to me on the bunk bed, she held my hand.

  “Are you sure this is the only way?.”

  Crystal asked, her voice trembling, barely above a whisper as she squeezed my hand , her fingers cold and against mine, her eyes searched mine, wide with concern.

  I exhaled slowly, the air feeling too thick, too heavy, like I couldn’t get enough of it in my lungs. My heart pounded in my chest, a dull thrum that seemed to echo in the silence of the room.

  I wanted to tell her that I’d thought it through, that I was sure, but even saying those words felt like a lie I wasn’t ready to tell myself, let alone her.

  “Yeah, he is my father, I have to do this to save him from the hands of those men that claim that my mother owes them, which I know is through because my has been creating a whole lot of problems lately, so yeah, I am really sure.”

  I finally said something, the words coming out harsher than I meant them to, like I was trying to convince both of us at once. But Crystal didn’t flinch, didn’t pull her hand away. She just stayed there, staring at me, the worry still etched on her face but something else creeping in acceptance, maybe.

  I turned my gaze to the floor again, feeling the heat of her stare on me, unwilling to meet it.

  “Okay. If you are going to pull this off, I will have to come with you.”

  I immediately gazed up at her.

  “No, crystal, I won't let you and beside they told me I should come alone, can't put your life at risk and what about the High school graduation that is almost about to start?.”

  I asked as I stood stared at her curiously.

  “Calm down, Elara, I am not going with you, what I meant by coming with you was to help you get out of the school compound, we both know you won't make it out from the school gate while the gate keeper is there, seriously that gate keeper is a KEEPER , he doesn't leave his position.”

  Crystal spoke as she paused for a moment, staring at me with a mixture of resolve and concern in her eyes.

  "I’ll help you sneak out, Elara. You’ve got a plan for everything but getting past that guy, and we both know it’s the biggest hurdle. Once you’re out, you can handle the rest.”

  Crystal spoke, as she walked up to me and held my hands, her fingers tightened around mine, her gaze softened, her voice becoming quieter.

  “You would do that for me, crystal?.”

  I asked, my voice laced with excitement as I gazed back at her with a smile on my marked on my face.

  “Yeah, that is what friend do, they help each, I know, if I where the on in your shoes, uhmm. What size is your shoes again?.”

  Crystal asked, her voice laced with sarcasm as she asked.

  I laughed out loud.

  “Hahaha, CRYSTAL.”

  “Sorry, uhmm, where was I, yes, if I was the one I your situation right now, I know you would do the same.”

  Crystal spoke as gazed at me with a big smile on her face.

  “You are definitely right, Crystal, you my best friend forever, crystal.”

  I said as I brought her in for a hug, she then responded by wrapping her arm's around me.

  “Uhmm, Elara, I can't breath.”

  “Sorry,”

  I muttered, pulling back just enough to give her space. My heart was still racing, but it wasn’t from the panic I’d been feeling earlier,it was something else, something softer now that I had Crystal’s support.

  She grinned, pushing me playfully with a laugh.

  “You’re lucky I love you, or I’d make you pay for that.”

  I smiled sheepishly.

  "Yeah, well, I wouldn’t blame you. I’m a bit of a hug monster.”

  Crystal raised an eyebrow, her expression a perfect mix of amusement and mock annoyance.

  "You are. But you’re my hug monster, so I guess I can’t complain.”

  I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in days. The tension that had gripped me since the plan started forming seemed to lift, just a little, with each passing moment.

  “I’ll help you get out, but you’re going to need a hell of a lot more than just a plan to get through this.”

  She said, her voice steady, no trace of uncertainty left in her tone.

  “I know.”

  I answered, meeting her gaze, the first hint of

  resolve flickering in my chest.

  “But with you by my side, maybe... maybe we can find a way.”

  Crystal nodded, squeezing my hands once more before letting go and standing up.