Ava didn't say anything for a long time after I told her what I saw.
She just stared at me like I'd handed her a death sentence.
"You're sure it was real?" she finally asked.
I shook my head. "I don't even know if what I see is mine anymore."
Lena looked between us. "It doesn't matter if it's real or not. The fact that you saw her means they're watching her now."
Ava swallowed hard. "Why would they go after me? I'm not like you two."
Lena gave her a look. "You're more like us than you think."
That shut Ava up.
We walked in silence the rest of the way to school, but I could feel the tension tightening like a wire.
And then, during lunch, it happened.
A man approached our table.
Not the same one from before. Not Dr. Reyes. But he wore that same calm smile. That same quiet confidence.
He looked at Ava.
"Hello, Ava," he said. "We've been waiting for you to notice us."
Her face went pale.
"How do you know my name?"
He smiled gently. "Because you're starting to see things too."
He glanced at me. Then back at her.
"And once you start seeing… there's no going back."
He turned and walked away like nothing had happened.
No one else at the cafeteria seemed to notice him.
But Ava?
She didn't move.
Her hands were shaking.
"I felt it," she whispered.
"What?" Lena asked.
Ava looked at us, eyes wide.
"When he spoke… I got a flash."
I leaned forward. "What did you see?"
She hesitated.
Then said, "Me. Walking through that door."
She looked at me.
"And you weren't stopping me."