That night fell gently over Hawthorne Creek, wrapping the lake and the woods in a blanket of velvet stillness. Inside the lake house, soft lamplight flickered against aged wooden walls, casting golden shadows that swayed with every creak and whisper of the home. The girls had helped Kemet unpack, teasing him over his now surprisingly full closet. They joked he officially had more outfits than all of them combined, laughing as they folded the last sweater into a drawer.
By eight o'clock, it was just Kemet and Lily left.
The others had said their goodbyes, lingering in tight hugs before heading out to wait in the car. Lily remained on the porch, arms crossed, eyes tracing the smooth surface of the lake. Behind her, Kemet stepped out, quiet as ever, dressed in a soft gray hoodie and dark jeans that actually fit him. His bare feet padded silently across the wooden floorboards.
"It's beautiful here," he said.
Lily nodded without turning. "It is."
A pause settled between them—not empty, but full of all the things they weren't quite ready to say. Kemet eased down beside her on the porch swing, their shoulders close but not touching.
"I never imagined anything like this," he murmured. "Back where I came from, silence wasn't safe. Silence meant danger. Something creeping in the dark."
Lily turned to study him, moonlight soft against his skin. "Well... this silence is different. You're safe now."
He looked at her, eyes shadowed but steady. "I don't know how to thank you."
"You don't have to," she said gently. "Just live."
He hesitated. "That sounds so simple. But it feels... like the hardest thing to do."
"I know." She glanced down at her hands, twisting her fingers. "But it's worth it. You've come this far, Kem. Why not keep going?"
He reached into his hoodie pocket and pulled out the phone she'd given him earlier that day. "You told me to call only in emergencies... but I think I'll call you anyway. Just to hear from you."
She let out a soft laugh, but her eyes shimmered. "I won't stop you."
Kemet's voice dropped. "I meant what I said earlier, Lily. You're the only thing that's felt real since I came to this world. You didn't try to fix me. You just... saw me. That's not something people usually do for someone like me. Especially not... white people."
Her breath hitched. "I didn't do much."
"You gave me a name," he said. "A home. A reason not to run. You gave me... a life."
Their eyes locked. The space between them felt electric, alive with something unspoken. Lily looked away first, afraid she'd cry, but Kemet leaned in just a little closer.
"If I could freeze a moment in time," he said, "it'd be this one. Right now. With you."
"Then don't freeze it," she whispered. "Live it."
He reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered, trembling slightly.
"I think I'm going to miss you the second you leave this porch."
"Then walk me to the car."
They stood together, silent as they made their way to the gravel road. At the car, their hands brushed one last time. The others were already inside, waiting patiently.
"We'll swing by tomorrow around three," Maya said, her voice thick with something between sadness and warmth.
"I'll be here," Kemet replied. "Right where you left me."
They drove off, headlights fading down the winding road. Kemet stood in the moonlight long after the car was gone. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like he was waiting to run.
Inside, Buster gave a single bark and curled up near the fire. Kemet closed the door gently behind him, picked up the phone, and opened Lily's contact.
He didn't call. Not yet.
But he smiled—because for the first time in a long time, tomorrow didn't feel like something to fear.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the lake house, warming the floorboards and turning dust motes into golden glitter. Kemet woke slowly, the scent of pine and lake water drifting through the air. Buster thumped his tail at the foot of the bed, wagging as if to say Good morning.
It took Kemet a moment to remember where he was. Then it hit him—and he smiled.
No sirens.
No shouting.
No fear.
Just calm.
He dressed slowly in clean sweats and a plain T-shirt, then wandered down the stairs. The old house groaned beneath his steps like it, too, was waking up. He tried making coffee, though he wasn't sure if he liked it. He just remembered Taylor brewing some yesterday, and it seemed like a normal thing to try.
On the porch, cup in hand, he watched the lake shimmer under the soft morning sun. Buster flopped down beside him in a patch of light.
His phone buzzed.
A message from Lily:
Did you sleep okay?
He smiled and typed back:
Kemet: I slept like the trees watched over me. Peaceful.
She replied instantly:
Lily: That sounds like something from a poem.
Kemet: Maybe it is. You told me to live. I think I might try writing, too since I can write and read all thanks to Maya and ji Ah.
Meanwhile, at the Jameson house, Lily stood by the kitchen sink, staring blankly out the window. The house felt... off. Like it had lost something it hadn't realized it needed.
Catherine entered, sharp in her usual morning attire, coffee in hand. She paused, glancing at Lily.
"I came home late last night," she said. "I take it our guest left?"
Lily nodded. "He did."
Catherine set down her mug. "Good. Then maybe we did the right thing."
Lily didn't answer.
Catherine hesitated. "He wouldn't have lasted long here, not with the questions people would start asking. You gave him a safe place. A clean start I hope. That's more than most people get."
Lily turned to face her, voice quiet but firm. "He's not some puzzle to solve. He's a person."
"I never said he wasn't," Catherine replied evenly. "But the world doesn't always treat people like people. Sometimes, we just survive. However we can."
Lily swallowed hard, jaw tight. Then she walked out, grabbing her jacket on the way.
The day had only just begun. But something had changed—and not just for Kemet.