Chapter 3

Three years.

Three years of late nights in the library, the smell of old paper and stale coffee my constant companions.

Three years of pushing myself, every class, every exam.

It paid off.

Valedictorian. East Coast University.

The letter arrived on a Tuesday.

I found Mom in the kitchen, kneading dough for her famous apple pie. Her therapy, she called it.

Her hands, dusted with flour, paused when I walked in.

"Mom," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I got it. I'm the Valedictorian."

She didn't look up.

Her hands resumed their work, pressing, folding.

The rhythmic thud of dough against the wooden board was the only sound for a long moment.

Then, she spoke.

"Be careful, Allison."

Her voice was low. Almost a whisper.

Not congratulatory. Not proud.

Just... afraid.

"That's all?" I asked, a knot tightening in my chest.

She finally looked at me. Her eyes, usually warm brown, were dark, unreadable.

"Some honors," she said, her gaze dropping back to the dough, "come with a price too high to pay."

That was it.

No hug. No smile.

Just a warning.

It confirmed what I already suspected.

Mom knew something. Or feared something specific.

Something connected to Claire.

The news spread fast.

"Daughter of Former Valedictorian Who Died by Suicide Achieves Same Honor."

Headlines like that.

The university paper. Local news. Even some national blogs picked it up.

The online comments were a mix.

"Wow, brave or foolish?"

"That poor mother. First one daughter, now maybe the other?"

"Doesn't she know the stories? Is she trying to die?"

"Some people just want attention."

They didn't understand.

This wasn't about attention.

This was about justice.

My phone buzzed constantly. Texts from classmates. Some congratulatory, most laced with worry.

"Allie, are you sure about this?"

"Maybe defer the honor? Let someone else give the speech?"

I ignored them.

The graduation ceremony was in three days.

The speech was written.

My plan was in motion.

I was walking into the fire.

Just like Claire.

But I wouldn't burn alone.