The hum of chatter and the clinking of glasses filled the air at Southside Bar, a cozy spot nestled by the bustling marina. Jace sat across from Zayan, his gaze locked on Zayan, who sipped his cocktail vibrant, layered tequila sunrise, and the swirl of colors reflected in Jace’s restless eyes. 

Zayan leaned back, noticing Jace’s fixed stare. “why are you looking at me like that?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

Jace didn’t hold back. “why would you leave Clara alone at the port? You knew no one was working there today” His voice carried a mix of anger and disbelief.

Zayan smirked, his tone casual but cutting. “Annalise can help her little friend out if she’s really that helpless. Besides, she could’ve swum back. She’s just pretending”

Jace’s jaw tightened. “pretending? Do you think she faked being scared out of her mind just because you wanted to prove some petty point? Or because of what happened between you and Annalise last night? Was this your idea of revenge?”

The smirk faltered. Zayan clenched his fist and, after a long pause, muttered, “Yeah. Annalise needs to pay. If that means using her friends, then so be it. I don’t care.”

Jace stared at him in disgust. “You’re something else, Zayan. So, mean.” He stood, pushing back his chair with a scrape.

 “where are you going?” Zayan demanded, his tone sharp.

Jace shot him a cold look. “To the port. To check on the girl you abandoned.” He stormed out, leaving Zayan alone with his twisted thoughts.

Back on the island. The thick canopy above blocked most of the sunlight as the girls huddled near the cave’s entrance, tension crackling in the air like an unspoken storm.

Miranda ran her hand through her hair, her voice shaky. “I was just with Clara. She said she heard whispers coming from the cave. We moved closer and I saw a signal, but… she was with me, I don’t understand how she’s gone.”

“So, she just disappeared in thin air?” Annalise’s question sliced through mounting unease; her frustration clear.

“I don’t know!” Miranda cried wringing her hands. “This is freaking me out seriously.”

“This is going on my Camchat,” Beyoncé said, pulling out her phone, her fingers already poised to capture the moment.

“stop it!” they all snapped in unison, glaring at her.

Beyonce muttered under her breath, stuffing her phone back in her pocket.

Elina stepped forward; her gaze fixed on the dark entrance of the cave. “Maybe… maybe she went inside.”

“Why would she do that?” Annalise asked. “she’s not the kind of person to just wander off.”

A heavy silence settled over them, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves and the distant sound of waves. The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting an amber glow over the island. Shadows stretched long, and the air was thick with the approaching night. They all stood at the mouth of the cave, an air of unease hanging over them as they exchanged glances.

“Clara might have gone in” Elina suggested again, her voice uncertain but laced with concern.

Annalise nodded “We can’t just stand here. Let’s go in and find her”

They stepped cautiously into the cave, their phones lighting the way. The entrance was narrow, but as they ventured further, the space opened into a vast chamber. The sound of dripping water echoed faintly, and the air grew cooler with each step.

“Clara!” Miranda called out, her voice bouncing off the cave walls.

“Do you think she’s okay?” Beyonce whispered, her usual confidence tinged with worry.

“Keep your voice down” Annalise snapped. “let’s focus on finding her.”

Monica trailed slightly behind, glancing at her phone. She gasped quietly realizing she had forgotten about Maxwell waiting for her at Harts Park. A pang of guilt hit her, but she quickly shook it off finding Clara was more important now. As they moved deeper into the cave, the faint glow of their phones was suddenly met with a soft shimmer on the walls. They froze, and their breaths caught. The chamber had transformed, its walls glimmering as though encrusted with tiny crystals.

“what…is this place?” Miranda whispered; her eyes wide.

“Clara!” Elina called again. This time her voice was met with a faint response not in words but in movement.

At the far end of the chamber, a silhouette came into view. Clara stood still, her back to them, staring intently at the wall.

“There she is!” Monica exclaimed, rushing forward to tap her shoulder. “Clara! We’ve been worried sick! Why would you leave like that?”

Clara turned slowly; her expression distant. “I don’t know,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

“wow…” Beyonce breathed, her attention no longer on Clara but the surrounding walls.

They followed her gaze, their jaws dropping. The cave wasn’t just shimmering it was alive with intricate symbols and patterns. They appeared to shift subtly as if responding to the flicker of light from their phones. The symbols glowed faintly, casting a serene blue hue over the chamber. They were fluid, almost as if made of water, curving and weaving into ancient and otherworldly shapes.

“what in the world is this?” Elina murmured, her fingers brushing one of the glowing patterns. It felt cool and smooth, almost like glass.

“it's…beautiful,” Miranda whispered, unable to look away.

For a moment, they all stood in stunned silence, captivated by the sheer beauty of the cave. The glow reflected in their wide eyes; their earlier fear was momentarily forgotten.

 

Meanwhile, at the port. Jace leaned against the wooden railing, his arms crossed as he scanned the shoreline. The waves lapped lazily against the docks, but something felt off. Zayan’s speedboat was gone, and so was Clara.

“Where could she have gone?” Jace muttered to himself. His eyes darted around the empty port. He remembered their earlier argument, Zayan’s smug grin and careless words.

“maybe Annalise came for her,” he reasoned aloud. “yeah…she probably found her friend and hid the boat somewhere.”

His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he let out a sigh of relief. If Clara was with Annalise, then she was safe. With that thought, he turned away from the water and began the walk back to his home, the weight of worry lifting slightly with each step.

 

The clock ticked towards 8:30 PM as Clara’s mother paced the kitchen, her nerves frayed. Dinner was almost ready, but her daughter's absence weighed heavily on her mind. Her twin daughters Anastasia and Annabelle were setting the table, chattering away and occasionally breaking into laughter. The twins were a whirlwind of chaos. Their antics, which often felt like a thorn in Clara’s side, were more frustrating than helpful for their mother.

“girls, enough!” Mrs. white snapped, her worry bubbling over into irritation. “Clara isn’t home yet,” she muttered, glancing at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time. The worry in her voice was undeniable. “she barely touched her breakfast this morning, and now she’s not back,” Clara’s mother said, glancing at her husband.

“I thought she was staying over at Monica or Annalise’s place. That’s why I wasn’t worried earlier,” Mr. White suggested, flipping through the TV channels in the living room.

“no, if she were to do so, Clara would have called” she replied, her voice shaking. “she promised me she’d come back early after her friends' swimming practice. What if something happened to her?”

He signed, settling the remote down. “let’s not jump to conclusions. Maybe we should call their parents to confirm if Clara is still with them” his voice lacked conviction.

Unease lingered between them, an unspoken fear rooted in an incident long past, a fear they dared not talk about. Mr. White kept silent, not wanting to stoke her worries further.

She wiped her hands on a towel, pacing to the window to peer into the fading light.

Laughter and music filled the air at the Southside bar as Zayan leaned back in his chair, his drink in hand. The party atmosphere was vibrant, his mind wasn’t entirely at ease as he pulled out his phone, scrolling through his phone impatiently. He had just called Jace. But his friend’s lack of interest in returning to the bar irritated him. He dialed again.

When the call connected, Zayan said sharply, “Jace, where are you? Come back to the bar.”

“I’m not coming back,” Jace replied flatly.

Zayan rolled his eyes. “did you see Clara?”

Jace signed on the other end. “no. Neither she nor your speedboat is at the port.”

“What?” Zayan bolted upright in his seat, his voice laced with shock. “I told you Annalise might have come for her or she probably swam back” Zayan scoffed. “I told you she’s a pretender”

Jace’s voice turned cold. “if she’s a pretender, what are you?”

Before Zayan could reply, the line went dead. He stood abruptly, catching his girlfriend’s attention. “where are you going?” she asked, her voice playful. “the party’s just getting started.”

“not now,” Zayan snapped, brushing past her. “something’s come up. I don’t have time to explain” Zayan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“at this time?” she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

“yes,” he snapped. “now, excuse me.” He didn’t wait for her reply, walking briskly toward the exit.

 

The night grew darker as the moonlight barely seeped through the narrow entrance. They had lost track of time as they explored the glittering cave. The shimmering symbols on the walls captivated them, and the strange beauty of the place held them in awe. Their attention was drawn to the shimmering pool of water that lay in the heart of the chamber. Its surface reflected the faint glow of the cave walls, creating an outward atmosphere.

“look at this pool,” Elina said, stepping closer. The water glowed faintly, its surface smooth and inviting.

“This is incredible,” Annalise said, her voice filled with wonder as she crouched beside it, dipping her hand into the cool water. "It feels good."

“too incredible to resist,” Monica added, her excitement bubbling over. Without hesitation, the two began slipping off their outerwear and stepped into the pool, giggling as the cool water embraced them. 

“This is amazing!” Annalise exclaimed, diving under and resurfacing with a laugh.

Beyonce, always eager to capture the moment, hesitated for a second before joining them. “we're so doing a Camchat live once we're out of here,” she said, wading into the pool.

Clara remained on the edge to capture the moment; her arms crossed. The sight of the water made her uneasy. Miranda and Elina also couldn’t resist they jumped in. They marveled at how the water seemed to rejuvenate them, making them feel lighter and more alive.

“Clara, come on! You have to try this!” Monica called, waving to her.

Clara hesitated, her eyes flicking to the shimmering pool. She felt a wave of heat course through her body as if the cave itself was calling her. Ignoring the knot of fear in her chest.

Monica swam to the edge, holding out her hand. “I’ll help you”

Clara took a deep breath, allowing Monica to guide her gently into the water. As soon as her body submerged, the fear melted away, replaced by an indescribable calm.

Above them, the moon rose higher in the sky, its full face shining down through a crack in the cave roof, bathing the scene in silvery light and illuminating the strange symbols on the cave walls.