He Didn’t Kidnap Me. Not Exactly novel Chapter 28

Chapter 28

I scrubbed my hair like I was auditioning for a shampoo commercial, fully committed to the performance.

“…SINK ME IN THE RIVER AT DAWN-”

Look, I had been through a lot.

This was therapy.

By the time I stepped out, dried, and changed into actual clean clothes, I felt like a slightly more functional human being. Which was great. Because now I had to face reality.

I sat at the desk and opened my laptop.

It took a second.

Then another.

Then it made a noise that sounded like it was personally offended by being turned on.

“Please don’t start,” I warned it.

It started but eventually, the screen came to life.

I logged in. Waited. Clicked. And then I froze.

“…Oh.”

Oh no.

“No, no, no-”

Assignments.

Missed.

Deadlines.

Passed.

Notifications.

Too many.

“I’m doomed.”

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the screen like it might suddenly apologize and fix itself.

It didn’t.

“This is actually how it ends,” I muttered. “Not with a bang or headshot. With academic failure.”

My heart started to race and I was in the middle of mentally planning my downfall when my door opened.

I turned and Lillian stood there.

We stared at each other during which she blinked twice.

“Daisy?”

I stood up slowly. “Lilian.”

She dropped her bag.

“Oh my God.”

And then she rushed toward me.

“Are you real?” she demanded, grabbing my shoulders. “Are you actually here? Because I swear if this is a hallucination-”

“It’s me,” I said quickly. “I’m here. I’m real. I have substance. You can- don’t hit me, actually, let’s not test that.”

She just stared at me. Really stared.

Head to toe.

Processing.

And then, “Where the hell have you been?!”

Right.

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