"How the hell did a fire break out?" Erin demanded as they ran towards the Study Hall, tensions high. "The fire department's been called and the Silverleaf students are being evacuated—"

"How many people did you say were in there?" Officer Saige asked.

"I-I don't know, I know for sure that two people are in there; Stoll Finnegan and Orchid Gray!" Were they okay? Were they already dead? Alive?

The officers entered the Study Hall, the door already ajar with smoke, as Saira waited outside, anxious. Saira was horrified to smell the smoke again, it kept coming back to her. Papa's smoking out on the porch because Mama yelled at him to do so. His ashtray fell to the ground. The way the flames saved and destroyed her life.

Thoughts whirled around her mind, sometimes, Saira wondered if running away and changing her identity with Mama was the right choice. Papa fucking ruined her life. Suddenly, the idea of Orchid Gray and Stoll Finnegan popped into her head. I can't let them die, she realized. But the fire.

She closed her eyes. Fareeda. No, Saira wasn't going to let her friends die. The truth was, the reason why Mama and she left their past lives was because of their fear of Papa. That he was always going to come back to hurt them.

He was dead, but things don't stay buried forever. Karma was going to hit her in the face soon enough, maybe sooner than she realized. But now? No, Saira's past might be catching up to her, but not fast enough that she was going to keep running forever. It was time she learned how to finally be brave.

She ran into the library, smoke blazing past her. She coughed, her eyes stinging with pain. Detective Erin Hollison hollered, "No, Saira! Get back!" Suddenly, a beam collapsed, sending the three police officers flying to the ground. Saira shrieked, staggering back as her ears rang. Where had that come from? Upstairs.

"Gray! Finnegan!" she wailed, gasping. Smoke crawled down her throat, her eyes burning as she saw flames. "No!" They couldn't die, they were her only friends. Real friends.

She bolted up the stairs, ignoring Erin's shouts and how the burning hot stair railings seared her palms. "Please!" she screamed, as she stumbled up the staircase. Reaching the top floor, she forced her eyes open. Pounding came from the Exam Room as she hurried over. "It's me, Levine!"

"Saira?" Orchid's voice was so exhausted.

Saira brought out her lock-picking tools, sticking them into the keyhole. "Levine, please hurry," Stoll begged as sweat trickled down her forehead. Saira thought she'd faint from the heat exhaustion. The door unlocked as Orchid and Stoll tumbled out. "Gray, Finnegan!" She was relieved, they were okay!

"My leg's not good," Stoll said, groaning.

"We need to go, a beam has already collapsed," Saira said quickly, pulling both of them up to their feet. "The whole Study Hall is going to blow," she explained as they helped Stoll down the stairs. Shelves collapsed as Orchid let out a startled screech.

"C'mon," Saira urged as they reached the first floor. They ran towards the entrance as the cops swarmed around them. "We need to get out now!" Erin took Orchid's arm while Officer Saige helped support Stoll.

They raced away from the burning mess, seeing the entrance as their escape. Saira dashed out of the library, gasping for fresh air. It was so cold all of a sudden compared to the heat in the Study Hall. She felt so drowsy and fell to the floor, clutching her chest. "I can't breathe," she wheezed, coughing loudly. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh."

"It's expected to have shortness of breath, the paramedics are coming soon, but your school's location is further away from town." Erin came over, patting her back. "Good?"

"Barely." Saira flipped over, seeing Orchid sliding down the wall, hazy. Her eyes slid down and Saira was alarmed. "Hey!" She shook Orchid. "Don't pass out, Gray—" Her eyes caught on two figures at the end of the hall.

Tommy Asterion. God, she never liked that douchebag with his 'bad boy' personality. She warned Orchid to stay away from Tommy, but crushes could be unhelpful. But then her eyes landed on Stanley Crawford. What the hell? She was so confused, why was he just standing there? But then she remembered what he wrote in his diary entry—Fareeda Patel was on his hit list.

She got up, wobbly on her feet. "You killers!" she screamed as the two boys ran down the hallway, trying to escape. She chased after them, her blood boiling. "Get back here, you bastards!" Saira took a sharp turn, spotting a fire extinguisher. I'll murder those crazy boys, she smashed her fist into the glass case, surprised the glass didn't cut her.

She grabbed the fire extinguisher, smooth and chilled in her hands, swinging it as she ran. Tommy was fast, but Stanley tripped over, hitting the floor hard. Officer North was on Saira's heels, yelling at her to stop, but she didn't care. Before Stanley could get up, Saira swung the tank at him with all her force and rage.

"You bitch!" she screamed, swinging it again at Stanley's body. He trembled with agony and Saira wished he would die on the spot. "You hurt her! You are a killer, Stanley Crawford!"

Stanley groaned, stumbling back as Saira was held back by Officer North. "Miss, don't do this," he snapped as Saira screamed with all her anger.

"You murdered her! You killed Fareeda, why can't you admit it?! I saw your fucking hit list, Stan!" she hollered, baring her teeth. She kicked her feet, struggling against North. "I know everything you did!" Was this how Bailey Preston felt when hurting Ivory? Did the revenge feel good?

"Levine, please stop." Saira's eyes darted to Stoll, who was standing at the other end of the corridor. His fists shook and she saw tears prickling the corners of his eyes. "You're not an angry person." He swallowed hard. "Anger's a hard path." Bailey killed Ivory. If she kept pulling her punches, then Stanley would die, would it avenge Fareeda at all?

Saira gave one last look at Stanley, but all she saw was fear. You don't even know him, her logic reasoned as her temper wore off. He's just scared, just like how Sarah was. How you once were. No, killing Stan would not give Fareeda the justice she needed, Saira would rather see him rot in a prison cell for the rest of his life. She threw the fire extinguisher on the floor and North finally released her. Stoll limped over and he gave her a hug, wrapping his arms around her. She cried. She cried for Papa and the pain he caused her. She cried for Mama and the endless support she gave Saira. She cried for Fareeda and the potential love she could have gifted her with.

Stanley stood up, dazed. "I-I can't think," he managed to say, "I can't...I can't remember. Green. Green." He started rapidly pointing outside the window as Officer North asked him to put his hands behind his back.

"North!" Erin breathed, running over. "What the hell happened?"

"I'll explain later, we need to cuff him," Officer North barked. "We also have a runner, a male teen with ginger hair—"

"Green!" Stanley screamed, pointing vigorously outside. Saira looked out the window to see the shining green grass with white orchids populating Silverleaf Academy.