Tuesday, September 12th

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Ava couldn't shake off the memory of the locked room she had stumbled upon yesterday. She made a beeline for the hallway as soon as she reached school, eager to investigate it further. When she arrived, she noticed the chalk hearts from yesterday were gone, but she quickly found the words "Find me" written in black marker on the door.

Ava hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was wise to break into a locked room, but her curiosity got the better of her. She fished through her backpack for a bobby pin and jiggled it into the lock, hoping to pick it open. After a few frustrating minutes, the lock clicked open.

As she pushed the door open, the room looked like it hadn't been used in years. Dust coated everything, and cobwebs stretched across the corners of the room. Ava looked around and saw several easels and canvases stacked in one corner. She walked over to them and began to sift through them.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps outside the door. Ava's heart began to race. She looked around the room for a place to hide, but it was too late. The door creaked open, and Ava froze, caught in the act.

It was the art teacher, Mrs. Lopez. She took one look at Ava, then looked around the room. "I see you found my little secret," she said, a small smile on her face.

Ava was relieved it was just the art teacher, but she was curious about what Mrs. Lopez was hiding in the room. "What is this place?" she asked, looking around at the dusty canvases.

Mrs. Lopez’s smile faded a bit, and she looked at Ava with a serious expression. "This room belonged to a student who died a few years ago. Her name was Mia, and she was one of the most talented artists I've ever met. Mia used to spend hours in here, painting her heart out. She left a note before she died, asking me to take care of her artwork and make sure it was displayed somewhere in the school."

Ava's curiosity turned to sadness as she listened to Mrs. Lopez’s story. "What happened to her?" she asked softly.

Mrs. Lopez took a deep breath. "Mia died in a car accident. It was a terrible loss. But I like to think that her art lives on through these canvases."

Ava felt a lump in her throat as she looked around the room. She knew what it was like to pour your heart into your art, and the thought of Mia's talent going unrecognized made her heart ache.

Mrs. Lopez put a comforting hand on Ava's shoulder. "Why don't you pick a canvas and try painting something of your own? I think Mia would have liked that."

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Ava nodded, feeling grateful for the opportunity. She looked around at the canvases and chose one that caught her eye. As she began to paint, she felt a sense of peace wash over her. For the first time since she arrived at this new school, Ava felt like she had found a place where she belonged.

As she was leaving the room, Ava turned to Mrs. Lopez. "Can I ask you something?" she said hesitantly. "Of course, what's on your mind?" Mrs. Lopez replied. Ava took a deep breath. "Yesterday, I found this room by following the chalk hearts in the hallway. They started at a memorial for Emily, the girl who died last week. But today, in this room, you mentioned another student who died a few years ago. Are they connected somehow?"

Mrs. Lopez looked at Ava thoughtfully for a moment before responding. "Yes, they are connected. Emily was actually Mia's little sister. Mia was devastated when Emily died and felt guilty for not being able to protect her. She spent a lot of time in this room after Emily's death, pouring her heart out onto the canvases."

Ava's heart ached for Mia and her loss. "And the chalk hearts?" she asked. "That was Emily's way of leading us to Mia's artwork. She always knew how much it meant to her sister," Mrs. Lopez said, her voice tinged with sadness.

Ava felt a pang of guilt for being so curious about the chalk hearts, but she also felt a sense of understanding. She was no longer just an outsider looking in; she was part of a community, connected by the art that brought them all together.

As she left for her next class, Ava couldn't help but think about Mia and Emily, and the power of art to connect people across time and space. She knew that she would never forget their stories and that they would continue to inspire her own art for years to come.

As Ava left the room, she found herself face-to-face with Jack and Max in the hallway. They both looked at her quizzically, and Ava wondered if they had followed her.

"Hey, Ava, what are you doing here?" Max asked.

Ava felt a little caught off guard, but quickly regained her composure. "Oh, I was just looking for the art room. I got lost."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because this isn't anywhere near the art room."

Ava felt her heart race. Had they seen her go into the secret room? She tried to play it cool. "I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Sorry."

Max and Jack exchanged a glance, but didn't say anything. Ava felt like they knew something she didn't, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were somehow connected to Emily and Mia.

As they walked down the hall together, Ava made a mental note to keep her investigation a secret for now. She needed to get closer to Max and Jack to learn more, and she didn't want to tip her hand too soon.

"So, do you guys have any plans for the weekend?" Ava asked, trying to sound casual.

Jack shrugged. "Not really. Probably just hanging out at home."

Max looked at Ava with a smile. "What about you? Do you want to hang out?"

Ava felt a surge of excitement at the invitation. This was her chance to get closer to them and maybe learn more about Emily and Mia. "Sure, that sounds great."

As they parted ways, Ava couldn't help but feel like she was on the brink of discovering something big. She knew she needed to be careful, but her curiosity was too strong to ignore.