I Rise 11 Chapter 111  Lemira was gently lifted from the debris–strewn area and placed carefully on the couch.  Orion leaned over her with a sigh, “Next time when I say ‘don’t move,‘ I mean it. If you can’t keep your head straight, at least try not to wander off!”  There it was, Lemira got scolded.  She hung her head low, mumbled, “I didn’t mean to knock over that vase!”  The warmth on Lemira’s face rose significantly, grateful for the darkness veiling their surroundings, sparing her the embarrassment of her red–flushed face being seen.  Why was she even flustered? Orion was her mentor, and her friend.  She shouldn’t be having such scattered thoughts.  Orion pulled out his cell phone and dialed with a tone as cold as the night, “Check why we’ve lost power.”  Lemira glanced around the dim room, her eyes finally resting on Orion, the only source of light emanating from his phone.  “Where’s Thaddeus? Didn’t he come back with you?”  “He’s out at the bar, won’t be back tonight.”  “Why didn’t you go?”  She knew adults loved their bar nights, especially the rich kids, hitting bars was their norm for unwinding.  The Langston boys did the same, mostly for socializing.  Orion’s calm voice broke through her thoughts, “it’s noisy.”  Hearing this, Lemira wasn’t surprised.  Orion always favored tranquility.  Curiosity got the better of her, “I’m kinda curious, how did someone as quiet as you end up buddies with Thaddeus? He’s all over the place, super outgoing!”  The contrast between them was stark; it’s hard to picture them as friends.  Orion pondered for a moment before replying, “My grandma used to say I was too quiet, told me to find a friend who could talk enough for the both of us, so I wouldn’t turn into a mute.”  Lemira found the idea of Orion’s grandma quite amusing.  She couldn’t help but ask, “So, you’ve known Thaddeus since childhood?”  Realizing he might’ve shared too much, Orion paused, “Why do you ask?”  “Just jealous you have such a close friend.”  Her tone carried a hint of melancholy.  The darkness masked her face from Orion’s view as he asked, “Didn’t you have any friends when you were younger?”  “I did, but after my parents died in that car crash and I fell ill, forgetting everything about the accident, I wasn’t in a good place, emotionally. My old friends drifted away.  Not long after, Evelina was brought into the family. You know the rest, Evelina made sure I was isolated at school, never really had friends since then.”  Orion’s lips tightened as she mentioned the accident, his voice barely a whisper, “All these years, you never remembered anything about the accident?”  “I don’t, and I rather not relive such pain.”  Lemira sighed, “If not for that crash, my parents would still be alive, Evelina wouldn’t be in my life, and maybe, just maybe, my relationship with my brothers wouldn’t have soured.”  But there are no what–ifs in life.  Orion’s gaze lingered on Lemira, a storm brewing in his eyes unseen in the dark.  “Do you hate the person responsible for the accident?”  His voice trembled slightly, a complex emotion laced within.  In the enveloping darkness, their faces obscured to each other, she firmly stated, “Yes!”  1/2  Chapter 1  Orion struggled to swallow, his voice hesitant, “Have you thought about finding the main culprit?”  “That person fled, leaving a scapegoat to take the blame. We searched for years with no leads.”  Lemira was determined to find the person responsible for her parents‘ death.  He finally spoke, “If you ever find them,”  “I’ll make them pay!”  Her resolution was clear, a lifelong vow to find the culprit.  Orion remained on the couch, motionless, finding it hard to breathe.  After a moment of silence, Lemira broke the quiet, “When will the power be back?”  Checking his phone, Orion stood up, “They’re working on the lines, but it might take a while. You should get some rest. I’ll walk you.”