Y/n POV
After some time, I heard a knock.
"Come in," I said.
Kayden walked in. "Let's go," he said, motioning for me to follow him.
"Okay." I grabbed my things, and he took the box. We headed out, and when we reached the car, he opened the door with one hand and went to the driver's side. He placed the box in the back seat.
I buckled my seatbelt, and he started the car.
"Y/N," Kayden said, his voice serious, "no matter what... don't ever lose hope, okay?"
I was confused. "What?!"
He placed his hand on mine.
"Y/N, you look confused and a little down," he said with a shrug. "Look, I'm here for you if you want to share anything."
I nodded but still felt unsure. "I understand, but... I'm okay," I said, turning to look out the window.
This wasn't the first time I had felt depressed or sad. I could handle my life on my own, and that was probably for the best. Every time I got close to someone or shared my feelings, they just ended up leaving me alone in the end. I thought to myself.
"We're here," Kayden said as the car stopped. I got out, and Kayden walked toward me.
"I'll go now," I said.
"Okay, then. See you tomorrow," he replied. I walked away without turning back.
I don't want anyone in my life. I'll leave alone and die alone, I thought, walking toward the house. I opened the door and saw Emma and James talking. They both noticed me, and Emma got up.
"Emma: And here you are!!" She quickly hugged me.
"You know how much I worried last night."
"I-I'm okay, Emma," I said, trying to reassure her.
James stood up.
"Can I talk to you, Y/N?" he asked.
I nodded.
"I'll take a bath, then we'll talk," I said. He nodded in response.
I went to my room, took a bath, and changed my clothes. As I looked at my neck and chest, I noticed some marks.
"What is this?" I muttered to myself, running my fingers over them.
I decided to ignore it and went downstairs to find James.
Emma was in the kitchen.
James smiled at me as I entered. I walked over and sat on the couch.
"James: Actually, I was going to tell you, Y/N... about Messy."
"Cassie. Her name is Cassie, James."
He sighed.
"James: Yeah, whatever. But please, let me explain."
"You can," I said, my voice quiet.
"James: Ash... okay, I have feelings for you, and I didn't know how to express them, so I thought—"
"You thought you'd make a fake girlfriend to make me jealous instead of just confessing to me?" I interrupted.
He looked down, and I could see the guilt in his eyes. He nodded, and I could tell he was about to cry.
"James: I know I'm a fool, Y/N."
"Well, let me tell you, my life's not easy, James. I'm not ready for any relationship right now, and I'm still angry at you." He nodded, understanding.
"James: But I will try, Y/N... until the end."
I sighed.
"Emma: Dinner's ready!" Emma shouted from the kitchen. I walked in, leaving James alone in the living room.
I sat at the table, taking a seat.
"Emma: Come on, James," she called out, trying to encourage him.
"James: No, no. I should leave now," he said, his voice filled with hesitation. I could feel him looking at me, but I just focused on my food, ignoring him. I heard the door open as he left.
We ate dinner in silence, the weight of the conversation still hanging in the air.
After dinner,
Emma said, "We'll go shopping right?"
I shook my head. "I'll stay home, Emma."
She gave me a disappointed look but didn't press the issue. "Alright, well, I'll go with Max then."
I nodded, and she left with Max, leaving me alone at the house.
I lay on my bed, trying to remember what happened last night. Someone kidnapped me... but the memory was blurry. I closed my eyes, trying to focus, but my breath became uneven.
I opened my eyes... panic attack. My legs and hands started shaking uncontrollably. I scrambled to pull open the drawer, searching for the medicine Kay had given me.
My vision began to blur, and sweat dripped down my face. I swallowed the medicine, gulping down some water to calm myself. Slowly, I lay back on the bed, my eyes shutting on their own as exhaustion took over.
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I saw someone talking on the phone, but their face was blurry, and the voice was fading in and out. The words were distorted, making it hard to understand, but I could feel something was wrong. Suddenly, the person moved closer, climbing on top of me.
???: "She is dying... now it's your turn."
A cold shiver ran down my spine as the words echoed in my mind. I gasped, my breath catching in my throat. My body froze, my heart pounding in my chest. I tried to scream, but no sound came out.
Suddenly, I jerked awake, my eyes flying open. I was back in my room, everything calm and still. The weight on my chest was gone, the sense of danger vanished. It had all been a dream.
I lay there for a moment, trying to steady my breathing, my heart still racing. I looked around, making sure everything was real. The familiar room reassured me, but the fear still lingered. My hands trembled as I reached for the water bottle on my nightstand, gripping it tightly as I took a few gulps. The cool water helped calm me, but the unease remained, like a shadow I couldn't shake off.
Was it a dream, or could that person have been real? I thought, the question swirling in my mind.
The words echoed again, sharp and haunting:
"She is dying... now it's your turn."
I sat up, my breath shallow, my heart pounding faster. The cold grip of fear crept up my spine. My turn... I whispered to myself, my voice barely audible, as if saying it out loud could make it more real.
The phrase repeated in my mind like a broken record. Who was that person? Why did they say that? And why was I feeling so terrified? I couldn't shake off the feeling that something terrible was going to happen. I ran my hand over my face, trying to clear my thoughts, but the dread lingered, heavy and suffocating.
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