Summer kills
Per Square 1.13

There were no answers tonight, only questions - lots and lots of them. Could they mend their broken friendships? Can they escape from this gilded cage they were born into? And most importantly, can they find their true selves in this privileged yet empty life?

As dawn approached, Ruby looked out over the sprawling grounds of their estate - their own little kingdom where they ruled supreme with hollow crowns on their heads. The first rays of sun painted a soft light over everything and provided a sharp contrast to their dark conversation earlier.

She sighed deeply as realization dawned upon her- This was not an end but a beginning. A beginning to face reality; A beginning to try and amend past mistakes; A beginning to discover who they truly were beneath these layers of wealth and privilege. And maybe...just maybe, a beginning to find the worth of life beyond their wealth.

As they woke up to a new day, they were no longer just a bunch of rich kids living under the shadow of their parents' wealth. They had uncovered the ugliness beneath their perfect facades and now it was time to confront it. The path ahead was uncertain and full of challenges but for the first time in their lives, they were ready to face them head on instead of hiding behind their money.

This was just the start. It was time for them to step forward and walk into the light of reality, shedding the comfortable darkness of ignorance they had been living in. Their journey had begun.

Olivia was the last to wake up, her eyes blinking open slowly as she took in the luxurious room around her. Her satin bed sheets felt cold against her skin, the grandeur of her surroundings a sharp reminder of what she had confessed last night. She was stuck in a life of opulence and privilege, yet she felt more lost than ever before.

Slowly, she got up and walked over to her walk-in closet, a room filled with designer clothes and jewel-encased accessories. All these things that once brought her joy now seemed so superficial and meaningless. She randomly picked out a simple beige dress, its plainness reflecting how she felt inside.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Maddie found Ethan already brewing coffee. The whimpering sound of the coffee machine filled the silence between them. Their meeting eyes spoke volumes that words couldn't express.

"How'd you sleep?" Maddie asked in a hushed tone, bringing two cups over to Ethan.

"Didn't," he confessed, his gaze on the black liquid swirling in his cup.

Maddie nodded, understanding his sentiment all too well. Sleep had evaded her too, her mind too busy reliving last night's confrontation.

At midday, they all gathered at their usual spot by the pool, their silence now holding a deeper meaning than it used to. Each one carried an air of thoughtfulness with them, their minds busy processing their newfound reality. "I think we need to talk about last night," Ruby finally broke the silence.

"Haven't we said enough?" Jake spat out bitterly.

"No," Olivia interjected softly. "We've said what we needed to say but we haven't discussed what comes next."

"What comes next?" Liam echoed hopelessly.

"Change." Ethan declared, determination flaring in his eyes. "We need to change."

They all looked at him, their expressions ranging from surprise to resignation. It was a daunting task indeed, changing the only life they had ever known. But Ethan was right, change was the only way forward. They couldn't go back to how they were before, blissfully ignorant of the hollow shells they had become.

It was going to be a difficult journey, full of trial and error, of honesty and self-discovery. But as they looked at each other across the pool, their gazes meeting in shared understanding, they felt a glimmer of hope. They were not alone in this journey; they had each other. And perhaps together, they could finally break free from the golden cages of their privileged lives and find the true worth of existence they were so desperately seeking.

Their journey towards redemption had begun. The rich kids had taken off their crowns of gold and put on crowns of thorns, ready to face the prickly path that lay ahead. They were no longer hiding behind their wealth but standing up against it. Only time would tell how successful they would be in their quest for self-discovery and change.