Chapter 31: Chapter 31. Number One Fan

Hearing Harper's last words, the other girls exchanged a knowing glance. They recognized that the conversation unfolding between Rachel and Harper was deeply personal, one that deserved the utmost privacy and discretion.

The temptation to eavesdrop, to gather juicy details that could be used to tease Rachel in the future, had been visible moments earlier. But now, after learning the startling truth about Harper's disappearance—that she had been in a mental health facility—the group knew this was no longer the time to indulge their curiosity.

They went silently to their own rooms, leaving the two women to finish their long-overdue conversation. A serious realization that the current circumstances demanded the highest level of sensitivity and respect caused a dramatic change in their approach.