Chapter Five: Back to the World
658 Words
The first day back at school felt surreal.
Sofia stood outside the towering building, sketchbook clutched to her chest, heart racing—not from nerves about her classmates, but because she knew the moment she stepped outside, she was leaving Jimmy’s shadow behind… at least physically.
The campus buzzed with life: laughter, chatter, the rustle of fabric as students carried mannequins and sewing kits. The smell of fresh paint and fabric dye hit her like a wave. This was her world—the world she had dreamed of, even while trapped in a mansion haunted by secrets.
Her bag felt heavier than usual, though. She couldn’t shake the thought of Jimmy waiting back home. The thought of him, the way he’d watch over her, protect her, possess her—even when she didn’t want him to.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. A message from him:
“Be careful. Don’t let anyone get too close.”
Sofia frowned. He knows I can handle myself.
The first class was sketching. She set up her station, pencils aligned perfectly, and tried to focus on fabric textures and draping techniques. Her mind wandered anyway—wondering if he had followed her this morning, if he had made sure she got on the bus safely, if he had stared at the empty mansion hallway just to check she wasn’t sneaking out.
Her friend, Lena, nudged her. “You okay? You’ve been staring at that paper for five minutes.”
Sofia blinked. “Yeah… just thinking.”
“About school?” Lena asked, suspicious.
“No… just… life.”
It was easier than saying the truth: About him.
By lunchtime, Sofia found herself in the courtyard, sketchbook open on her lap, drawing designs for a dress she couldn’t stop imagining. And yet, even as she sketched, her mind was elsewhere.
She looked up. Across the street, through the tall glass doors of the cafeteria, a shadow lingered in the distance. Her chest tightened.
Jimmy.
He wasn’t supposed to be here. Not in the city. Not on campus. Not anywhere near her.
Her phone buzzed again:
“I’m outside. Waiting.”
Panic surged, but part of her felt… thrilled. His presence was dangerous, and yet comforting. Possessive, and yet protective.
She ducked behind a column just as he stepped closer, his eyes scanning, scanning, scanning… for her, for anyone who dared look at her.
“You shouldn’t be here,” she whispered when she finally found him in a secluded corner.
“I told you to be careful,” he said, voice low, almost growling. “I said it for a reason.”
“I can take care of myself,” she replied, though her voice faltered slightly.
His eyes softened just enough to confuse her. “I know you can. But I don’t trust anyone else to.”
The words settled over her like a storm cloud. She hated it. She loved it. She didn’t want him to be like this, and yet, the way he looked at her—the way his jaw clenched—made her pulse race.
“Go back inside,” he said finally. “Stay out of trouble.”
She nodded, her heart still pounding.
As she walked back to class, she realized something: school would be her escape. Her future. Her dream. But it was also a battlefield. Every glance, every look, every step would be shadowed by Jimmy—whether she wanted it or not.
By the end of the day, she was exhausted. Not from sketching or studying, but from the tension coiling inside her.
Back at the mansion, she found him waiting exactly as she expected—watching, pacing, restless.
“You’re safe,” he said, though the edge in his voice betrayed him.
“I’m fine,” she said, trying to sound casual.
But neither of them lied to each other.
The slow burn had begun.
And neither of them could stop it.
- Writer
