[color=gray][indent][i]Harper sat cross-legged on the soft, cream-coloured rug that covered the floor of their cozy living room. The gentle hum of the ceiling fan provided a soothing background noise, lulling her into a false sense of calm. Her mother's slender fingers moved through her hair with a graceful and practiced rhythm, deftly weaving the strands into intricate braids. The sweet, familiar scent of her mother's hair oil filled the air, creating a comforting atmosphere that Harper tried not to fall for.

As she gazed down at the intricate patterns of the rug, her mind buzzed with a whirlwind of thoughts, each one vying for her attention and refusing to settle. She knew. Some way, somehow, her mother knew. The burden of her mother's unspoken disapproval bore down on her, adding to the weight of guilt she already felt. Harper had skipped her classes not just once, but at least five times. However, the thrill of rebellion had long since faded, replaced by anxiety over the heavy consequences of her actions.

The young girl wished she could say that was the worst of it, too.
 
The guilt consumed her, and she couldn't help but wonder if her parents, especially her father, were furious with her. Her mother would have confided in him. How could she not? 

Finally, her mother broke the silence, her tone gentle yet unwavering. [color=#006C00]“Harper, is there somethin’ you wanna tell me?”[/color]

Harper's stomach tightened with a mix of anxiety and guilt, and she felt a flush of heat rise to her cheeks as she prepared to confront her mother. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she made the difficult decision to come clean. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"I... I skipped school today,"[/color] she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her mother's hands, which had been deftly working on Harper's hair, paused for a fraction of a second before continuing the braid. The room fell into a heavy silence as she seemed to process the revelation. [color=#006C00]"Now, we both know I ain’t got no patience for fibbin’, ‘specially not under my own roof,”[/color] her mom finally said, her voice steady but with a shadow of sorrow in it.

Harper swallowed hard, feeling the shame settle in. [COLOR=8A9A5B]“Ok… it may have happened a couple of times.”[/color] As she uttered the words, she could feel the weight of her mother's disappointment settling upon her like a physical force, making her breath catch in her throat. She avoided her gaze, staring instead at the intricate braid unfolding in her hands, feeling the warmth of her touch and the gentle tug of her fingers as she worked.

Caught red-handed, Harper couldn't shake the familiar sting of her mother's disapproval. Regret tugged at her heart, swiftly followed by a slow, simmering anger. How had she found out? The question echoed in her mind, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable until it dawned on her.
 
Sierra. It had to be her! Her sister had wanted revenge and this is how she’d decided to get it. 

[COLOR=8A9A5B]“Did that big mouth blab about it?”[/color] Harper said, turning a fraction but stopping cold once she saw the expression on her mother’s face. She could see the anger simmering beneath, but it was the deep disappointment etched on her face that cut the deepest.
 
[color=#006C00]“I reckon it don’t matter none who spilled the beans,”[/color] her mother snapped back, sharp as a whip. Harper flinched, her hand flying to her cheek as if to ward off the pain of a slap. [color=#006C00]“My own flesh and blood, tellin’ tales to my face, day in and day out.”[/color] Her mother shook her head, looking into her eyes. [color=#006C00]“Harper, you know how crucial your learnin’ is. I ain’t mad ‘bout you spendin’ time with… with some young man, though your daddy might not see it the same. What gets to me is you choosin’ to be dishonest and shirkin’ your duties. That ain’t the young woman I brought you up to be.”[/color]

Harper's eyes welled up with tears as she looked away, her voice shaking with emotion. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"I didn't mean to hurt you…"[/color] she whispered. She took a deep breath and looked back up at her mother, her voice trembling as she spoke. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"I know it was wrong, but I just really like him, Mom. He's been makin' me feel like nobody else ever has. And I know I shouldn't have lied, but it just felt like no one understood me, and I thought he did... and then you found out..."[/color]Harper's voice trailed off as she broke down, tears streaming down her face.

Her mother's expression softened slightly, and she reached out to gently brush a tear from Harper's cheek. [color=#006C00]"Oh, my darlin’, my heart aches for you, it really does,"[/color] she said, her voice gentle but firm. [color=#006C00]"I know it’s hard, bein’ fourteen and all, not quite a child and not yet a woman. But that’s alright, sugar, 'cause we’re gonna get through this together. We’ll sit down and have us a long talk ‘bout handlin’ these new feelings, ‘bout bein’ open and honest with each other. But we gotta lay down one rule straight as an arrow: you ain’t grown yet. You’re still my baby girl, and it’s my job to keep you safe. That means I need you to be honest with me, no matter what.”[/color]

Harper looked up at her mother, her eyes still welling up with tears, but a small glimmer of hope flickered in them. She sniffled and wiped her nose with her sleeve. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"M-mom... I promise I'll try to be honest from now on,"[/color] she said, her voice shaky. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"I just didn't know what to do, and I felt like you wouldn't understand... but I promise I'll tell you everything from now on. Can... can we still have that talk about feelings and stuff?"[/color] Harper's voice trailed off, and she looked up at her mother with big, pleading eyes. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"And can I still see him? Just a little bit? I promise I'll be careful and won't do anything wrong."[/color]

Harper’s father entered the room just then, his presence like a quiet storm brewing on the horizon. His gaze, steady and discerning, settled on Harper’s tear-streaked visage. He cleared his throat, a subtle prelude to the firmness that was to come—a firmness Harper knew all too well. One that had always commanded her respect, even as it made her heart quail.

[color=#C2E0B7]“Harper, darlin’, seems to me you’re overlookin’ a key point here,”[/color] he began, his voice carrying the undercurrent of authority yet devoid of harshness. [color=#C2E0B7]“Your mama and I have had ourselves a discussion, and we’re of one mind that there ought to be some consequences for skippin’ school. And now, here you are, wonderin’ if you can keep seein’ this boy?”[/color] He shook his head, a silent punctuation to his disapproval. [color=#C2E0B7]“You’re just 14, and your studies ought to be your bread and butter. Chasin’ after boys when you ought to be hittin’ the books just ain’t the way.”[/color]

He glanced toward Harper’s mother, who stood with a word of comfort at the ready, but he pressed on. [color=#C2E0B7]“I get that you’re tryin’ to be the understandin’ one, darlin’, but it falls to me to make sure we don’t lose sight of what’s important. And that’s keepin’ this family on the straight and narrow.”[/color]

Harper's eyes dropped to the floor, her face burning with shame and disappointment. She felt like she'd been punched in the gut. She had been so sure that her mom would be on her side, that she would understand her feelings. 

But now, her dad was ruining everything. 

The young girl bit her lip, trying to hold back another round of tears, but they were already welling up in her eyes. She looked up at her dad, her voice trembling with anger and frustration. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"You're so unfair!"[/color] she spat, her words- her half-truths- laced with a childish venom. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"You always do this. You always make me feel like I'm wrong. Like I'm stupid, and don’t know any better,"[/color] She took a step forward, her fists clenched at her sides. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"I didn't skip school because I wanted to, okay? I did it because I had to. And then...and then he came along and he was nice to me. And for once in my life, I felt like someone understood me."[/COLOR]

Her voice cracked as she spoke, and tears began to spill down her face. She felt as though her dad's disapproving stare was crushing her spirit. She looked at her mom, hoping to see some kind of understanding or compassion, but even her mom's face seemed distant and unyielding. 

Of course, she was taking his side. 

[COLOR=8A9A5B]"You don't get it, Dad,"[/color] Harper said then, her words dripping with resentment. [COLOR=8A9A5B]"You never get it. You're always so busy being the boss and being right, that you never stop to think about how we feel."[/COLOR] She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, leaving her parents in stunned silence. As she ascended the stairs, the last strains of conversation reached her, a muffled exchange between the two people who stood as pillars in her life.

[color=#C2E0B7]"Well, I'll be…."[/color]

[color=#006C00]“Now, James, hold your tongue. That’s your own stubborn pride talkin’, and you know it.”[/color]
[hr] 
Harper slammed her bedroom door behind her, the echo reverberating through the quiet house. She threw herself onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow as tears of frustration and shame flowed freely. Her father's words had cut deep, and she couldn't shake the feeling of being misunderstood and unfairly judged.

Minutes passed, and the raw edge of her anger began to dull, leaving behind a weary sadness. She barely noticed the soft knock on her door before it creaked open. Her mother’s footsteps were light as she crossed the room, sitting gently on the edge of Harper’s bed. Harper didn’t move, keeping her back to her mom and her face buried in the pillow.

[color=#006C00]"Harper, honey,"[/color] her mom began softly, gently stroking her hair. [color=#006C00]"I know you're hurtin', but we need to talk."[/color]

[COLOR=8A9A5B]"There's nothing to talk about,"[/COLOR] Harper muttered into the pillow, her voice muffled and sullen.

[color=#006C00]“Harper, darlin’,”[/color] her mom sighed, her fingers tenderly working through Harper’s hair. [color=#006C00]“Sometimes it might feel like the whole world’s lined up against ya and it seems like your daddy’s bein’ too tough. But he loves ya somethin’ fierce. We both do.”[/color] 

[COLOR=8A9A5B]"It doesn’t feel that way. It feels like he’s always angry with me and Si."[/COLOR] Especially her sister. Despite whatever petty arguments they’d had over the years, she knew she could always count on her sister and always tried to be there for her during the harder moments. Lately, however,  her father and she had been fighting more and more. What about, Harper wasn’t sure.

[color=#006C00]“We get all worked up ‘cause we’re concerned. We want ya to make the right decisions, to be honest, and to trust us enough to share what’s goin’ on. Skippin’ school and sneakin’ around… it ain’t the right path, baby.”[/color]  

Harper stayed silent, though her breathing began to steady. All the while, her mom continued to stroke her hair gently, letting the quiet moment between them stretch just a bit longer. Then, she took a deep breath, as if gathering her thoughts.

[color=#006C00]"There's something else I want to talk to you about,"[/color] she said softly. [color=#006C00]"When it comes to boys, I want you to remember something very important. A boy who encourages you to go against your values, to do things you know aren't right, isn’t looking out for you. You gotta find the right one for you."[/color]

[COLOR=8A9A5B]"You mean someone like Dad?"[/COLOR]

Her mom paused, just for a heartbeat, her eyes shadowed with a hint of something Harper couldn’t decipher before she offered up a tender smile. [color=#006C00]“No, darlin’, not quite. Your daddy wants the very best for ya, but that don’t mean you gotta go lookin’ for someone just like him.”[/color]

[COLOR=8A9A5B]"Then what do you mean?"[/COLOR]

Her mom took a deep breath, her words slow and deliberate. [color=#006C00]“What I’m sayin’ is, you oughta be lookin’ for someone who respects you and what you stand for. Someone who makes it easy to be yourself, and no one else. Someone who lifts you up to be the best you can be, not someone who’s pushin’ you towards things that don’t sit right with you.”[/color]

That list seemed to be getting longer and longer the more her mother went on, but Harper nodded her head, regardless.[COLOR=8A9A5B]"So, if a boy makes me feel like I gotta change who I am, he ain’t the right one for me?"[/COLOR]

[color=#006C00]“That’s right,”[/color] her mom confirmed, her tone soft yet unwavering. [color=#006C00]“A true-blue relationship’s built on mutual respect and understandin’. If he really cares ‘bout you, he’ll back you up in doin’ what’s right, even when it’s tough.”[/color] Her mom’s lips drew into a thin line, a hint of humour in her eyes. [color=#006C00]“Now, let’s be real here, you ain’t gonna be datin’ till you’re at least half my age, so all this talk is for down the road.” [/color]

Harper snorted. Sure. 

[color=#006C00]“And,”[/color] her mother began again, her tone a bit more serious this time, [color=#006C00]“you need to apologize to your father for raising your voice the way you did. Not right this minute, but soon. Don’t dilly-dally on it, alright? Showing respect is important, even when we’re nursing a hurt.”[/color]

[COLOR=8A9A5B]"But-"[/COLOR]

[color=#006C00]“He’s tryin', Harper. He’s tryin’ very hard for you and your sister,”[/color] her mom interrupted, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

[COLOR=8A9A5B]"Fine…"[/COLOR]

Her mom leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. [color=#006C00]“Thank you, darlin’. And remember,  we’re always here for you. Trust in that, and trust your instincts.”[/color]

As her mom left the room, Harper lay back, her mind a little clearer, her heart a little lighter. She still had a lot to figure out, but for now, she knew she wasn’t alone.

And, hopefully, she never would be.[/i][/indent][/color] 

[COLOR=GRAY][CENTER][COLOR=8A9A5B][sup]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][url=https://open.spotify.com/track/0UPMxtinlgA1dkne9PAKTW?si=61268b9baa174945][img]https://i.ibb.co/589szLm/harperbanneri-copy.jpg[/img][/url][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=8A9A5B][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]Southern Plateau[/I] - [I]Pacific Royal Campus[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=8A9A5B][b]Welcome Home #1.103:[/b][/COLOR] [I]The Path of Least Resistance[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][COLOR=8A9A5B][SUP][sub]_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][indent][sub][color=8A9A5B][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR][I]N/A- just a transition post people keep it pushin'[/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=8A9A5B][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [COLOR=GRAY][I]Veiled Horizons[/I][/color][/right][/SUP][/indent] 

Harper sat cross-legged on her sleeping bag, the cool night air seeping through the thin fabric of the tent. Outside, the soft hum of nocturnal insects orchestrated a symphony, contrasting sharply with the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind. She mulled over the day’s revelations, the secrets she and Haven had unearthed, and the lingering questions that danced at the edges of her consciousness.

Clad in a well-loved t-shirt and soft, faded shorts that hugged her skin with familiar ease, Harper fought the relentless pull of sleep. Her eyelids, heavy as lead, waged a silent war against her will to stay awake, making the hurried scrawl in the notebook before her blur into indecipherable glyphs. With each passing moment, the sounds of the wilderness outside merged into a lullaby, luring her gaze towards the inky void just beyond the tent flap, and then to the vacant sleeping bag nearby—a silent reminder of his absence. For now. 

She wanted to talk to him. Despite everything with Cass and the sudden resurgence of a memory she had long believed lost to the depths of her mind, she wanted to clear the air of any misunderstanding she’d caused because of her thoughtless remarks. 

Simple. 

Yet, it was never that simple with Gil.

And unfortunately for her, she'd never gotten the chance to have that conversation with her mother. 

Being around Gil had always made Harper feel like she was walking a tightrope, balancing precariously between wanting to open up and fearing the pain that might come with it. But his presence demanded honesty and authenticity, and that terrified her more than she cared to admit. To make matters worse, today was probably the first time she’d actually managed to say something substantial to the guy in that direction. And of course, she had to insinuate sleeping with him, all 3 of him, while she was at it.  

Harper let out a deep, fatigued sigh, her fingers flipping through the notebook’s pages without intent, as her thoughts meandered back to the exchange with Haven. The name ‘Tiamat’ lingered in her mind—a name chosen or bestowed, it carried the weight of ancient myth. Could Amma truly embody the peril of the primordial goddess she was named for? With a soft click of her tongue, Harper’s pen danced across the paper, adding a new name beneath the two etched there: [i]Katja[/i]. Reluctance gnawed at her, yet the events at the beach whispered of Katja’s closeness to Amma, perhaps close enough to hold answers.

As for anyone else, the Trials were tomorrow and she highly doubted she would have time to even talk to Katja then. And if there was anything else she was taking from her conversation with Cass, it was his advice to be careful. One foot in front of the other. 

The burden of her ruminations coaxed the notebook from her grasp, compelling her to seek refuge in the embrace of her sleeping bag. She lay back, her eyes ascending to the tent’s canvas sky, beseeching the universe for a revelation, for an answer to the tangled web of problems that she was now stuck in. 

And, most of all, for Gil to get here before sleep claimed her unwillingly.

[/color]