Before anything could pop up, Isabella immediately flopped onto her animal hide, back facing the system.
"I'm going to sleep," she mumbled into the fur. "I don't want to see."
Her words came out muffled and cute, her face buried in the soft hide like a stubborn child refusing to wake up for school.
Bubu said nothing.
But Isabella felt it.
That silent, expectant presence.
It was waiting.
She knew it was waiting.
But she refused to turn back.
She stayed perfectly still, committing to the act, forcing herself to breathe slow and steady.
A long silence stretched.
The system didn't leave.
She didn't move.
…
And just like that, her fake sleep turned into real sleep.
For the night.
THE NEXT MORNING
The first thing Isabella saw when she woke up was blinding white light.
She stared.
She rubbed her eyes.
The screen was shining directly in her face like a clingy ex who refused to be ignored.
