One Saturday evening, Lily sat at her desk and turned on her lamp, opened her trust diary, and turned to a new page.

This weekly tradition had become a source of comfort for her, a quiet way to make sense of things ever since her parents had separated. While life felt steadier now, writing in her diary still grounded her—a place where she could untangle the jumbled thoughts swirling in her head.

She grabbed her trusty pencil, worn from use but perfect for her nevertheless. She took a deep breath and began writing:

“Dear Diary,

Mom and Dad are downstairs right now, watching TV and talking about boring adult stuff. I don’t know why, but hearing them together makes me feel safe. It’s funny—when Mom left all those years ago, it felt like part of me left too. Everything felt wrong, like I was always missing something, even though I got to see both of them every week. I think it’s called a custody arrangement or something? Whatever it is called - it still felt weird.

But something changed last year. Since the tornado.

That tornado was so scary! I remember it came out of nowhere, like one of those giant monsters in the movies Dad likes. Emily’s mom was driving Lucy, Emily, Mr. Parker, and me, trying to get us out of there as fast as possible. If Emily hadn’t told us to leave when she did—if she hadn’t insisted—I think we would have died that day…”

Lily paused, her pencil hovering over the page. A chill ran through her as memories of that fateful day rushed back. She recalled Emily, crouched by the dirt, sniffing the air as if trying to discern a puzzle, muttering to herself. She remembered Emily’s eyes widen in terror, how she grabbed her mom’s arm, loudly urging - no begging that they all leave, that something dangerous was coming.

At the time, Lily had been annoyed—furious even. She’d been looking forward to playing and hanging out with Emily and Lucy all weekend. It wasn’t often they all got to spend time together, and being forced to leave without explanation felt unfair.

But then it came.

Lily shivered - she could still hear the howling wind, see the sky turn an angry shade of green or perhaps yellow? She didn’t remember exactly, but she certainly remembered feeling the car lurch as Sarah floored the gas pedal. The tornado had landed not too far from where they had been - terrifying, awe-inspiring, and unlike anything she’d ever seen.

Taking another breath, she pressed her pencil back to the page and continued writing.

“Emily saved us that day—there’s no doubt about it. I don’t know how she knew something bad was coming, but she just did. And because of her, we’re all still here.

And, you know what? That day didn’t just save us—it changed my family, too.

Mom and Dad... they’re different now. They’re nicer to each other, kinder. They still live in separate houses, and I still switch back and forth between them every week, but now we spend more time together as a family. We go to the movies sometimes or have pizza nights, and they even laugh at each other’s dumb jokes. It’s not perfect, but it’s better. It feels more like a family.”

Lily paused again, her pencil hovering again as she smiled, pondering her next words before continuing her journal entry.

“I guess Emily saved my life, but in a way, maybe she also saved my family? All those days and months or whatever ago, when Emily had broken her pencil and I lent her mine—I never thought that little thing would—what did she call it… ‘snowball’? Snowball into Mom and Dad sort of getting back together? Or at least being more friendly to each other? And to me…”

Leaning back, Lily let her thoughts drift to her relationship with Emily. The memory of how they had met—pure chance—warmed her heart. After letting the moment linger, she leaned forward again and began writing.

“Emily is so kind, spirited, playful, and oh so smart. She’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, even if she tries not to show it. I see her answer questions in class almost before the teacher even finishes asking them. She finishes math problems and quizzes in minutes, and somehow she really understands computers and stuff. But even then, she never rubs it in anyone’s face—she just stays - Emily.”

Lily chuckled softly, her pencil tapping the paper as another thought came to her.

She added with a grin - “Unless someone messes with Lucy or me. Then Emily goes INSANE!”

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

Lily’s smile faded slightly as her thoughts turned to a memory that still heart lurch.

It was lunch a few months ago when Lily had been sitting alone, sketching in her notebook.A group of older girls surrounded her, laughing at her, calling her names, and even torn some of her drawings. She gulped as she remembered how she had felt - powerless, completely and utterly powerless.

Then Emily appeared seemingly out of nowhere - this small, squeaky, scrappy girl, standing up to three older kids. Lily’s face darkened as she remembered the moment one of the bullies shoved Emily, how her heart had stopped when Emily staggered back.

But then Emily had stood her ground. And not just stood her ground—fought back.

“I still can’t believe she punched that girl in the gut,” Lily wrote, her pencil scratching away. “And scared the others off. Emily got in trouble after that, but she didn’t care. She stood up for me. She always does.”

She hesitated, as a smile tugged at her lips. Her shook her head and continued writing:

“Troglodytes. That’s what Emily called them. I had to ask Dad what it meant later, and he couldn’t stop laughing. I still don’t really know what it means, but I guess it’s not nice? I wonder where Emily even learned a word like that.”

Lily chuckled to herself as she wrote. The memory of Emily’s fierce protectiveness warmed her. It wasn’t just Emily’s intelligence or kindness that made her special—it was her fierce loyalty, her unwavering sense of right and wrong.

Lily monetarily glanced out the window, catching the faint glow of the streetlight. Emily had stood up for her, saved her perhaps more than once - and no matter what, one day Lily would do the same for her friend.

A moment later, she looked back at her journal and frowned. A thought was forming, a revelation that had been gnawing at the edges of her mind for some time but had never quite come together. With a determined breath, she began writing again:

“Now that I think of it, sometimes Emily seems so different. So much more grown-up. Sometimes she talks about things that are incredible, things that sound almost too advanced, like they’re from another world. And how is she so smart? I mean, it’s not just school stuff—she knows the answers to the weirdest questions, questions I didn’t even know I had.”

Once, I asked her about black holes. I don’t even remember why, but she just started explaining something called Hawking radiation and something else called quantum mechanics, like it was the easiest thing in the world! And then, out of nowhere, she just stopped. She went red and changed the topic, like she wasn’t supposed to know all that. And it’s not the only time—it’s happened before. Something super out there comes up, and Emily knows all about it. But then she backs off, saying things like, ‘Oh, I read it somewhere,’ or, ‘My mom and dad talk about it,’ or, ‘You know, just growing up.’”

“There’s something else going on—I just can’t figure out what. She’s a bit younger than me, and yet knows so much? And why does she pretend not to know things?”

Lily’s brow furrowed as her pencil stilled. She chewed her lip, trying to piece together the patterns forming in her mind. She pressed on a moment later.

“It felt like it happened almost suddenly. Emily was always smart, but it’s like a switch flipped one day. She used to be shy, quieter—a lot like me, actually. But then, all of a sudden, she became more talkative, more confident, more… sassy! She’s still kind, still Emily, but she’s also something else—something different. It’s like a weight disappeared, and she turned into this spirited, mischievous, gentle friend. It’s amazing, but it’s also a little mysterious.”

“Stressful events affect people differently, Lily.” her father had once said. “Some people grow quieter, some push others away, and some start living life more.”

“Maybe the tornado erased some of Emily’s fears? It changed me a little, too. I’m not as scared to speak up anymore, so maybe it’s the same for her? Stressful events can change people, right? Dad always says that. Look at him and Mom—they’re so different now. The only one who didn’t change is my big brother…”

Lily sighed deeply, her pencil halting again. Her brother’s face floated into her mind, distant and closed-off. He’d taken their parents’ divorce much harder than she had, shutting himself away or spending all his time with his friends. She didn’t hate him, but she didn’t really know him, either.

Her thoughts shifted back to Emily, her pencil moving once more:

“Emily is my friend, but sometimes she feels like more. I don’t know what it’s like to have an older brother, not really. But when I’m with Emily, it sometimes feels like I do.”

It sounds crazy, I know. Emily’s a girl! If anything, she should feel like a sister. Honestly, she IS my sister in a way. But sometimes, it’s like she’s not just Emily. Like there’s someone else there. When I’ve had a bad day and Emily hugs me and tells me everything will be okay, or when she talks to me about life—what did she call it? Oh yeah, ‘life’s curveballs’—it feels like I’m talking to someone else, someone older. Like what I think having an older brother would feel like.”

“Sometimes, when Emily teases me, it’s like boy jokes. When she pulls me closer when I’m crying and hums songs I’ve never heard, it feels like someone older. And when I get confused with homework, math, or writing, she teaches me so patiently, almost like she’s done it a thousand times before.”

Lily sat up, staring at her words as the realization settled over her. There was a secret Emily was carrying—Lily was certain of it, too many little things pointed to it. Should she confront her? Should she just let it go?

After a moment, the answer came to her. She smiled softly and leaned forward, her pencil moving again.

“Honestly, I have questions. But just like Emily is there for me, I’ll be there for her. Something is definitely going on—maybe she’s just really wise, or maybe I’m overthinking it. But I feel like it’s something more. Something magical.

Still, I’ll wait. When she’s ready to tell me—if she’s ready—I’ll be here. That’s the least I can do.

She saved me. She’s there for me every day. She even kind of brought my family back together. She’s my best friend.”

Lily paused, staring at the final words for a moment before closing her diary with a smile.