Page 27 of First Echo

She made a noncommittal sound and returned to her reading. I watched her through half-closed eyes, noticing the way she seemed completely absorbed in whatever world existed between those pages. Whatever connection we'd formed during our time on the mountain seemed to have vanished, like footprints covered by fresh snow. We were back to being strangers sharing a room.

The silence stretched between us, broken only by the occasional sound of Brooke turning a page. I should have been grateful for the quiet after the noise and chaos of the day, but something about it felt stifling, uncomfortable.

"So," Brooke said eventually, her voice careful and measured. "You're actually pretty good at snowboarding. For a beginner."

I opened my eyes, slightly surprised that she'd initiated conversation. "Anyone can look good when they've got someone showing them what to do," I said with a half-shrug. "Not exactly rocket science."

A hint of a smile crossed her face before disappearing again. She turned another page, but I could tell she wasn't really reading anymore.

"Can I ask you something?" she said after another moment of silence.

"Depends on what it is," I replied, propping myself up on my elbows.

She seemed to consider her words carefully before speaking. "Why are you friends with those people?"

The question caught me off guard. "What people?"

"Your friends," she clarified, setting her book down on her lap, her gaze direct and unflinching. "Victoria, Audrey, Julian... even Sam sometimes. The girl I spent the morning with—the one who threw snowballs and laughed without caring who was watching—she seems different from the Madeline who hangs out with them."

I felt a defensive response rising in my throat, but something in her expression stopped me. She wasn't asking to be cruel; there was genuine curiosity there.

"They're not that bad," I said weakly, though the words sounded hollow even to my own ears.

Brooke raised an eyebrow. "Aren't they? The way Julian talked to me today... and the others just stood there. Including you, at first." She paused, then asked more quietly, "I guess I just don't understand who you're lying to—me? Them? Or yourself?"

The question hit me like a slap. Who did she think she was, judging my friendships, my choices? She had known me for what, a few weeks? And suddenly she thought she had me all figured out?

"That's pretty rich coming from someone who doesn't have any friends at all," I shot back, the words coming out sharper than I'd intended. "At least I know what it's like to be part of a group. What would you know about any of it?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. I saw something flicker across her face—hurt, maybe, before her expression hardened into a mask of indifference.

"You're right," she said coolly. "What would I know? I've only seen how they all left you alone on the mountain earlier today. And how your brother treats people. But clearly, I'm missing something about this amazing friendship dynamic you've got going on."

Her words hit closer to home than I wanted to admit. Just hours ago, when I fell on the mountain, they had all left when I insisted they go. Sam had wanted to stay, and I was the one who told him to leave. But why had he listened? Why hadn't he pushed harder to make sure I was okay? And Julian's behavior... well, that was Julian being Julian, but should I really accept that as normal?

But acknowledging that would mean admitting Brooke was right, and I wasn't about to give her that satisfaction.

"You don't know anything about my life," I said coldly. "So don't pretend you do."

She looked at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Madeline."

With that, she picked up her book again, effectively ending the conversation. I turned away, facing the wall, feeling a strange mixture of anger and something else—something that felt uncomfortably close to shame.

We didn't speak again for the rest of the evening. When the time came for dinner, we walked to the dining hall separately, maintaining a careful distance from each other. I sat with my usual crowd, laughing at Julian's jokes, responding to Victoria'sgossip, holding Sam's hand beneath the table. I did everything right, played my part perfectly, but the whole time I could feel Brooke's words echoing in my mind.

Who are you lying to?

After dinner, we all gathered in the lodge's common area. Someone had started a fire in the massive stone fireplace, and the room was filled with the warm glow of flames and the excited chatter of students planning their runs for tomorrow. I curled up beside Sam on one of the oversized couches, my head on his shoulder, trying to focus on the conversation around me. But my gaze kept drifting to where Brooke sat alone in a corner armchair, her nose buried in that same book from earlier.

Eventually, the exhaustion of the day caught up with me. I said my goodnights and headed back to the room, my muscles aching pleasantly from the day's exertion. Brooke stayed behind in the common area, probably to avoid another uncomfortable conversation. Part of me was relieved for the solitude, but another part felt strangely disappointed.

I fell asleep quickly, my dreams a confused jumble of snowball fights and judging eyes and questions I couldn't answer.

When I woke the next morning, Brooke was already gone. Her bed was neatly made, her side of the room pristine, as if she'd never been there at all. I wasn't surprised—she seemed to have a habit of disappearing before dawn—but it still irritated me for reasons I couldn't quite articulate.

I took my time getting ready, not particularly eager to face the day or my friends after the strange mood that had followed me from last night's conversation with Brooke. By the time I made it down to breakfast, the dining hall was already bustling with activity.

Victoria spotted me first, waving me over to the table where she sat with the usual group. Julian was in the middle of somestory, gesturing animatedly while the others laughed. I slid into the empty seat beside Sam, who greeted me with a quick kiss on the cheek.

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