Love, After Dark

Chapter 33

SIRI

The rest of the week blurred together in a way that felt almost unreal. Somewhere between Monday and Friday, the sharp edges of new began to soften. I started to feel like I belonged, like maybe this place could be more than just another temporary stop in my life. I found my rhythm in the hallways, learned which staircases were fastest, which teachers liked questions and which preferred quiet compliance.

People noticed me. Friends came easily. More easily than in Milburn, even. Classrooms full of faces that no longer felt unfamiliar. Laughter at lunch. Group texts buzzing during class. Teachers smiled when they called on me, nodding like they’d already decided I was one of the good ones.

And the guys. That part surprised me the most. Lingering glances. Nervous smiles. Notes passed through friends. One boy actually tripped over his own feet trying to talk to me outside the science wing. I wasn’t ready for any of that. Dating felt like something from another lifetime, one I wasn’t sure I could step into just yet. I mean I’ve dated before, but nothing of real substance. And for the time being, I didn’t want complications. I just wanted to settle into whatever my new normal was supposed to be.

Wynter was still around, though thankfully at a distance. Every now and then I’d catch her staring at me, eyes sharp and cold, a death glare that made my skin prickle. No words. No confrontation. Just quiet hostility that lingered in the air like static. I thought it was strange that I hadn’t seen Brice even once since that first encounter. Not in the halls. Not at lunch. Not anywhere. The thought surfaced more than once, but I shoved it away just as quickly. He was gorgeous. And he’d seemed… nice. But he was taken. And if Wynter was his choice, then he couldn’t be that great of a person anyway.

That, and something else- someone else- had already taken over my mind. The guy from the library. Steel man. Calm. Confident. Dark. Mysterious. Sexy. Sexy? Yes. Extremely sexy. The realization hit me at the most inconvenient times. During lectures, while brushing my teeth, lying awake in the dark. I could still see the way he’d moved, unbothered and controlled, like nothing in that world could truly touch him. And the way my body reacted to his presence. No, I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

I hadn’t told anyone what happened. Not my mom. Not Sia. Not even the girls. Especially not Keisha. She’d already proven herself fiercely protective, intercepting Wynter on my behalf Tuesday morning with a confidence that left me stunned. Whatever she’d said must have worked, because Wynter had kept her distance ever since.

After school, I met Nala, Brittany, and Eliza at the library every day to work on our project. The place had started to feel familiar. Comforting, even. Still, I caught myself scanning the room more than once. Hoping. Waiting. Nala noticed. “You looking for someone?” she asked casually, eyes sharp despite her relaxed tone. I shook my head a little too quickly. “No.” She studied me for a second longer, then nodded. “Okay.” And that was that.

By Friday, I was running on fumes. The exhaustion wasn’t just physical. It sank into my bones. The nightmares had become relentless, stealing sleep night after night. They were almost always the same. The campground. The murdered Queen. The crying baby. But sometimes, other images slipped in. Flickers of things I didn’t understand. Things that made my heart race when I woke up gasping in the dark. The night before, I’d finally decided to start writing them down. Maybe if I could get them out of my head and onto paper, they’d lose their power. Or at the very least, I’d have something concrete to bring to the therapist I was pretty sure I’d need eventually.

A few times, I woke up with my hands burning. Like they’d been pressed against hot coals. When I first mentioned it, Mom brushed it off, saying I must have fallen asleep on them funny. She was still distant, still disappointed, and didn’t offer much else. But when it happened three days in a row, she changed her mind. She called and scheduled a doctor’s appointment, though the soonest they could see me as a new patient was three weeks out. Three weeks felt like a lifetime.

Friday morning passed like the rest of the week- classes, laughter, pretending everything was fine. At the end of gym, Mr. Parks clapped his hands to get our attention. “Alright, Team A,” he called out. “Grab your passes for tomorrow before you leave.” Confused murmurs rippled through the gym. “Did you all forget?” he added with a grin. “Losing team helps Mrs. Parks with her theater production Saturday morning.” A collective groan echoed through the room. One by one, we lined up and grabbed the passes with our names printed neatly across the top. I stared down at mine, already feeling my shoulders sag. So much for a peaceful weekend.