Through time; The ripper (Completed)

Should she Google him

*Lily*

“Okay, so let’s get back to this case study,” Anna says, tapping her pencil against the table. “We need to finalize our patient assessment before tomorrow’s presentation. Who wants to take the lead?”

“I can do it,” Megan chimes in, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “I was thinking we could focus on the lab results and really highlight the differences in treatment plans. What do you think, Lily?”

I blink, momentarily lost in thought, the vibrant memory of dancing with Leo flickering in my mind like a candle fighting against the wind. I can almost hear his voice, see the way his eyes sparkled with joy. But I shake it off, forcing myself to focus on the assignment.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” I reply, trying to sound engaged. “That sounds good.”

Anna raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “You sure about that, Lily? You seem a bit… distracted. You’ve hardly touched your notes.”

I sigh, glancing at my textbook, the text blurring together. “I’m just... trying to catch up, I guess.”

Megan leans forward, her expression shifting to one of concern. “Is everything okay? You’ve been a little out of it this week. I mean, you are usually the one who is on top of everything.”

I manage a smile, but it feels strained. “I’m fine, really. Just adjusting, you know?”

They seem to kinda buy it and we start working.

A week has passed since I stepped back into my life, and yet I feel like a ghost haunting my own life. The chatter of my classmates surrounds me, a vibrant whirlwind of laughter and plans, yet I’m trapped in a haze of memories. I can’t shake the image of Leo from my mind… the way he held me, the warmth of his kiss, the promise in his eyes.

“Lily, did you even hear a word we just said?” Anna’s voice cuts through my thoughts like a knife, pulling me back to the present. She and Megan are perched on either side of me at the cramped table in the study room, their notebooks open, but their eyes are clearly elsewhere… probably imagining dreamy dates with some handsome stranger.

I blink, trying to focus. “Sorry, what was that?” I mumble, feeling a flush creep up my cheeks. I know they’ve been discussing some guy they met at a party last weekend… probably the same one Megan is still swooning over.

“Ugh, Lily! You’re such a hopeless romantic,” Anna teases, rolling her eyes. “It’s like you’re lost in a novel or something. But, really, you should be paying attention. This is important.”

“What’s important?” I ask, forcing a smile.

“Okay, so here’s the thing,” Megan leans in, her voice conspiratorial. “You can’t just date someone without doing your research first. Like, you have to Google them! Right, Anna?”

“Absolutely,” Anna nods emphatically, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “I mean, what if he has a secret life, or worse… he’s a total loser? You don’t want to end up in a cringe-worthy situation.”

Their laughter rings in my ears, but it feels distant. All I can think about is Leo… and how I didn’t even get the chance to tell him everything I wanted to. The way he fought for me still sends shivers down my spine, but there’s a dark cloud hovering over my thoughts. Jack the Ripper… he was never caught, and Leo will never be able to stop him… should I have told him?

As the conversation drifts back to some guy’s i********: account and the latest gossip, I feel a pull in my gut. What if I could Google Leo? My heart races at the thought, the idea igniting a mix of hope and dread. I pull out my phone, tapping on the browser, my fingers trembling slightly as I type “Lord Leopold Thorne.”

The screen lights up, and I’m instantly drawn in. I can’t believe I’m actually doing this… I’m searching for the man who feels like a dream, a piece of history I can’t quite grasp. But as I scan through the information, my breath hitches in my throat.

“Lily? You okay?” Anna’s voice sounds far away again, but I can’t tear my eyes away from the words on the screen.

‘Lord Leopold Thorne, second son to the Duke of Ravenshollow… murdered in 1888…’ My heart plummets as I read the shocking details. ‘Believed to be the only male victim of Jack the Ripper.’

“No, no, no,” I whisper, feeling the room spin around me. Everything blurs as a wave of nausea crashes over me. He was gone, lost to the very darkness I feared. My breath quickens, and I can barely process the information.

“Lily!” Anna’s voice is sharper now, filled with concern. “What is it? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I can’t answer her; the reality of what I’ve just discovered wraps around me like a suffocating blanket. I feel as if the ground has shifted beneath my feet, and the weight of what I just read crashes down on me.