CHAPTER TWENTYWhat She Doesn’t Say
364 Words
CHAPTER TWENTY
What She Doesn’t Say
LILY POV
It was getting harder to pretend.
Not because I wanted to stop.
But because my body was starting to betray me.
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The bruise on my arm had darkened overnight.
I tried to cover it with my sleeve again.
Like always.
Like it would disappear if I ignored it enough.
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Damien noticed first.
Of course he did.
He always did.
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“You’re still hiding it,” he said quietly as we walked.
I didn’t look at him.
“I’m not hiding anything.”
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He sighed.
Not annoyed.
Just… tired of hearing the same lie.
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“You don’t have to do that,” he said.
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I stopped walking for a second.
Just a second.
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Because I didn’t know what “that” meant.
Pretending?
Existing?
Surviving?
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“I’m fine,” I said again.
But it sounded weaker this time.
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Damien didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, he looked ahead.
Like he was thinking too hard about something he couldn’t fix easily.
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We walked in silence after that.
Too heavy.
Too long.
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Until I felt it again.
That shift in the air.
Like something was watching.
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I didn’t look up immediately.
I already knew.
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Asher.
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I didn’t know how I knew.
I just did.
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When I finally glanced slightly to the side—
I saw him.
Standing further down the hallway.
Not moving.
Just watching.
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His expression wasn’t soft.
It wasn’t distant either.
It was something in between.
Focused.
Controlled.
Like he was holding something back.
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My grip tightened around my bag strap.
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Damien followed my gaze.
And immediately tensed.
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But Asher didn’t move.
Not toward us.
Not away.
Just watching.
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Then Chloe appeared beside him.
Smiling.
Talking.
But I couldn’t hear what she was saying.
Only saw his face change slightly.
Just for a second.
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Then it was gone again.
Controlled.
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We walked past them.
I didn’t look again.
I didn’t want to.
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But I felt it anyway.
That pressure in the air.
Like something was already breaking.
And no one was saying it out loud yet.
- Writer
