Reborn, I Let Them Take the Cursed Graduation Photo Chapter 02

Reborn, I Let Them Take the Cursed Graduation Photo Chapter 02

Isabella slid into the seat beside me.

“Katie, when should we take it?” she asked cheerfully. “How about after school today?”

Her smile was warm enough to melt almost anyone’s defenses.

Almost.

I shifted away from her.

“My name is Katherine Ellis.”

I made sure every word landed.

The message was obvious.

We weren’t close enough for nicknames.

For a second, Isabella froze.

Embarrassment flashed across her face.

Then came the wounded expression.

“I… I only called you that because everyone does.”

Her eyes immediately reddened.

“Katie… sorry. Katherine.”

She lowered her gaze.

“Do you not like me?”

Before I could answer, Ethan jumped in.

“That’s just how she is.”

He scoffed.

“Give her an inch and she acts like she’s better than everyone.”

Then his expression softened as he turned toward Isabella.

He rested a hand on her shoulder.

“Let’s do it today. The weather’s perfect.”

A moment later, his eyes returned to me.

Sharp.

Watchful.

“Katherine, don’t make things weird.”

“And don’t try anything.”

I simply nodded.

“Fine.”

In my previous life, I had done everything possible to stop them.

It earned me a broken family and an early grave.

This time, I wasn’t standing in anyone’s way.

Unfortunately, Ethan didn’t believe me.

He watched me all afternoon.

When I went to the restroom, he lingered in the hallway.

When I checked my phone, he immediately looked over.

Finally, I asked,

“Are you afraid I’m going to report you?”

His stare remained hostile.

“I know exactly what kind of person you are.”

“That supernatural nonsense might fool everyone else, but it doesn’t fool me.”

I didn’t bother arguing.

There was no point.

At five o’clock, our class gathered beside the athletic field.

All fifty students from our department were there.

Someone suggested inviting the dean and faculty members.

“A graduation photo should include the professors too.”

“No.”

Ethan shut the idea down instantly.

“Just us.”

His eyes flicked toward me.

Meaningfully.

“I’m not giving certain people a chance to tell the faculty about the legend and ruin everything.”

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Every pair of eyes turned toward me.

Isabella’s eyes reddened again.

“Katherine…”

“You wouldn’t stop us, would you?”

Others joined in.

“Come on, Katherine.”

“Don’t kill the mood.”

“It’s graduation.”

“We only get this once.”

“Let us have some memories.”

Some rolled their eyes.

Some looked irritated.

One student even shoved me lightly.

I sighed.

“I haven’t said anything.”

“And I haven’t done anything.”

Ethan clearly wasn’t convinced.

“Enough talking.”

He clapped his hands.

“Everybody get into position.”

He had already recruited a student from another department to take the picture.

The photographer raised a phone.

“Alright, everyone move closer.”

“A little tighter.”

“Ready?”

“One…”

“Two…”

“Three…”

The phone lifted.

The shutter button was about to be pressed.

Then the sky exploded.

BOOM.

A deafening crack of thunder tore through the afternoon.

A bolt of violet lightning dropped from a cloudless sky.

It slammed into a sycamore tree beside the field.

The trunk exploded.

Fire and splinters erupted in every direction.

The student holding the phone nearly dropped it.

Screams broke out across the crowd.

People stumbled backward in panic.

Only I remained still.

Slowly, I looked up.

Above us, blood-red words appeared across the sky.

Massive.

Far larger than the warning I’d seen in the classroom.

Only I could see them.

The letters burned against the heavens like fresh wounds.

[FINAL WARNING. DO NOT TAKE A GRADUATION GROUP PHOTO. MISFORTUNE WILL FOLLOW.]