Leon's POV
The university looked exactly the same. Same front gates, same stone statue with a bird that looked like it regretted its life choices. I'd been here a few times before, but today was… different.
Today, I was here for two reasons: to help with a murder case and… to see Lemon.
I stood near the garden area beside the entrance, phone in hand, waiting for her reply. I hadn't even texted her yet because, well—I was kind of hoping to catch that movie moment of her walking up, hair in the wind, sunlight doing its thing.
Yeah, I was being a little dramatic.
Right as I was about to type, I looked up.
There she was.
Lemon.
Lemon Elise carter.
Walking towards me, black wide-legged jeans brushing against her white sneakers, a white oversized t-shirt slightly tucked in from the side, and a lab coat folded over her arm. She had no makeup on, her skin still glowing under the soft sun, and as she walked, she was trying to tie her curly hair into a bun, messy strands falling in front of her face.
She didn't see me yet, but I sure as hell saw her.
I had to blink a few times. Not because I was shocked. Just… stunned.
Then she looked up and noticed me. She waved, a little smile tugging at her lips.
"Hey," she said, reaching me. "Been waiting long?"
"Not really," I said, still recovering from the sight. "Though I might've gotten emotional watching you do your hair."
She laughed. "Emotional?"
"Yeah," I said with a grin. "You looked like you were about to fight someone. Fierce."
She rolled her eyes playfully, and behind her, her friends arrived—Hazel, Riley, Autumn, Evelyn, and Scarlett. The squad.
"We brought the yearbook," Hazel announced, pulling it out like it was a top-secret file.
"Nice," I said, and we all headed to sit at the stone bench under the tree.
Scarlett opened the book to a bookmarked page. "Here's the batch. First year from two years ago. Think you recognize anyone?"
I leaned forward, eyes scanning the photo.
Group photo. Boring layout. Everyone standing in uneven rows.
I tilted my head. "I don't really remember names, to be honest. Especially not the girls."
"Why not?" Riley asked curiously.
I shrugged. "They were… you know. That kind of group. Always stuck together. Loud. A bit too clingy. I kept my distance."
"Fair," Evelyn muttered.
Hazel pointed. "What about this cluster of five? The ones standing closest to each other?"
I leaned in again. Five girls. All side by side, standing slightly apart from the others.
"Yeah," I nodded. "I remember seeing them around. They were always together. But as far as I can recall, there were only five in that group."
Lemon blinked. "But Grace said there were six."
I glanced at her. "I only found that out later. Someone mentioned that one of them died, and that's when people started calling them the 'six friends group.' But back then? I never saw a sixth girl with them."
We all looked back down at the photo. There was a sixth girl—but her image was faded, blurred in the print like someone had smudged the photo.
Scarlett frowned. "It's like she's… missing. Purposely."
"Exactly," Hazel whispered. "It's like someone wanted her gone."
"Do you remember anything about her?" Lemon asked me again.
I stared at the photo, trying to pull a memory from somewhere. "Nothing. If she was around, she wasn't someone who stood out… or maybe she was hidden on purpose. But I don't ever remember seeing a sixth girl in that group."
Then Hazel asked, "What about the other five? Did you talk to them?"
I shook my head. "I didn't really talk to any of them. They were too much. Flirted with every guy they passed, acted like they ruled the campus. Some even confessed to me, but I stayed clear."
Lemon looked at me fast. "Did you accept anyone?"
Her voice was fast. And immediate.
Scarlett raised a brow. "Well well…"
Evelyn giggled. "That was quick."
Autumn leaned in. "Are you jealous, Lemon?"
Lemon's cheeks flushed. "I-I was just asking for the case!"
I grinned, amused. "No. I didn't accept anyone. Not even close."
I paused.
"To be honest… you're the first girl I've really talked to properly."
Lemon blinked, caught off guard.
Her friends were clearly holding back giggles now.
Hazel whispered, "Smooth."
I coughed and pointed at one of the five girls. "This one… I think she's Laven. I do remember her."
"You do?" Riley asked.
"Yeah," I said with a sigh. "She confessed to me. Multiple times. I turned her down, but she didn't stop. Became sort of obsessed."
Lemon's brows furrowed. "Obsessed how?"
"She started following me around. Waiting near my dorm. Sending me weird notes. And then she got hold of my number and started calling me—like over a hundred times. From different numbers."
"Creepy," Autumn said, making a face.
"Totally," I said. "I had to file a report. Eventually, she disappeared. Someone said her parents transferred her after a big rumor broke out, but no one knew where she went."
Evelyn leaned over. "That's messed up."
"So we know five girls," Scarlett said. "And a sixth who no one really remembers… and who died."
"Which is even scarier," Hazel added. "Because how can someone just vanish from memory? From photos?"
We all stared at the yearbook again.
One face blurred.
One girl forgotten.
One secret buried.
Lemon's fingers curled slightly as she stared at the photo. "If someone can erase her from here… they didn't want her remembered."
I looked at her, noticing the tension in her jaw. "Hey," I said gently. "You okay?"
She nodded after a second. "Yeah. Just thinking too much."
I paused. Then leaned in a little. "I meant what I said earlier. If things get risky… I've got your back. No matter what."
Her eyes met mine, surprised for a moment, then softened. "Thanks, Leon."
The others pretended not to notice the silence that followed, but I saw their smirks.
"Okay," Hazel finally said. "Let's go back to the dorm. We've got more things to figure out."
As we walked, Lemon moved beside me again. This time, close enough that our arms brushed occasionally.
She was smiling at me.
I was smiling at her.
And for once, I didn't want to be anywhere else.