Writers 
Chapter 8: A Name She Remembered
The next morning, Amara woke up thinking about Mia.
She had barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she remembered the photograph and Zara's message.
Mia is the reason everything started.
Amara still didn't understand what it meant.
She got ready for school and went downstairs.
Her mother was already in the kitchen.
“Good morning,” her mother said.
“Good morning, Mum.”
“You look tired.”
“I didn't sleep well.”
Her mother looked at her for a moment.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
Amara sat down and started eating.
She wanted to ask her mother about Mia.
She almost did.
But she remembered Zara's message.
Don't show the picture to your mother.
So she kept quiet.
After breakfast, Amara picked up her bag and left for school.
When she got there, Zara was already in the classroom.
Their eyes met.
Zara quickly looked away.
Amara walked toward her.
“Zara.”
Zara looked up.
“Good morning.”
“Who is Mia?”
Zara became quiet.
“I told you yesterday. You shouldn't ask about her.”
“I need to know.”
“Amara, please.”
“No. Everyone keeps telling me not to ask questions, but nobody is giving me an answer.”
Zara looked around the classroom.
“Not here.”
“Then where?”
“I'll tell you later.”
Amara wasn't happy with the answer, but she decided to wait.
During lunch break, Zara didn't come back to the classroom.
Amara searched for her around the school but couldn't find her.
She was about to give up when she noticed someone standing near the old school notice board.
It was Daniel.
He was looking at something.
Amara walked toward him.
“What are you doing?”
Daniel turned quickly.
“Nothing.”
Amara looked at the notice board.
There were old school pictures and papers pinned to it.
One of the pictures caught her attention.
It was from a school event.
Amara moved closer.
Her eyes went straight to the picture.
There was Zara.
There was Daniel.
And there was Mia.
Amara stared at the picture.
This time, she remembered something.
She remembered Mia.
Not everything.
Just a small memory.
Mia had been sitting beside her in class.
They used to talk a lot.
They were friends.
Amara looked at Daniel.
“I knew her.”
Daniel didn't say anything.
“Mia was my friend, wasn't she?”
Daniel looked down.
“Yes.”
Amara felt confused.
“Why don't I remember her?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Because something happened.”
“What happened?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because it's not my story to tell.”
Amara became angry.
“Then whose story is it?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Before Amara could say anything else, Zara appeared.
She looked worried when she saw them.
“Daniel, what are you doing?”
“I was just talking to Amara.”
Zara looked at Amara.
“You remembered her, didn't you?”
Amara nodded slowly.
“I remember Mia.”
Zara's face changed.
For the first time, Amara saw something like relief in her eyes.
“You finally remember.”
“Tell me what happened.”
Zara looked at Daniel.
Daniel shook his head.
“Not here.”
Zara nodded.
“After school.”
Amara looked between them.
“Why do you both keep acting like this?”
Neither of them answered.
The school bell rang.
Everyone started going back to their classrooms.
As Amara walked away, she heard Daniel call her name.
She turned around.
He was still standing beside Zara.
“There is something you need to know,” he said.
“What?”
Daniel looked at Zara before looking back at Amara.
“Mia didn't just disappear from your life.”
Amara stared at him.
“What do you mean?”
Daniel took a deep breath.
“She left because of what happened that night.”
Amara's heart started beating faster.
“What night?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Zara looked down.
Amara suddenly remembered something.
She remembered Mia crying.
She remembered herself standing in the hallway.
And then she remembered hearing someone say:
“It's your fault.”
Amara froze.
She didn't know who had said it.
She didn't know what it meant.
But she knew one thing.
She had finally remembered Mia.
And whatever happened between them was the reason her past had followed her to this new school.