I shouldn’t have come. Every bone in my body told me not to. But Dave called me earlier and said, “It’s about Kyle.”
And the minute I heard that, my heart stopped. I stared at my phone like it had just spoken to me out loud. It’s about Kyle.
I didn’t trust Dave. I didn’t even like looking at him after what he did. But Kyle had disappeared again. No goodbye. No call. Just vanished, like smoke, leaving nothing but his silence behind.
So yeah… I came.
I stood outside the mall, arms crossed, pacing slowly near the food court entrance. It was chilly for a spring evening, and the wind kept playing with my hair, tugging it into my face. I looked around. People walked by, laughing, shopping bags swinging at their sides. Everything seemed normal.
Except it wasn’t.
Because I could feel it again. That cold feeling. That invisible pressure. Like eyes were on me. Like someone was watching.
Kyle’s words echoed in my head: “You’re being watched.”
I shivered. I tried to shake it off. No one’s watching me. Why would anyone watch me? I’m not important. I’m just a girl who fell in love with the wrong guy… again.
But deep down, I knew it wasn’t just paranoia.
Something was off.
That’s when I saw Dave.
He walked toward me with his usual swagger, wearing a hoodie and holding two Slurpees like we were friends meeting for a movie. As if he hadn’t shattered my trust and ruined my birthday.
“Hey,” he said, flashing that smile that used to work on me. It didn’t anymore.
I raised an eyebrow. “Hi.”
He handed me one of the Slurpees. “Strawberry. I remembered.”
I took it without saying thank you. I wasn’t going to pretend we were cool.
“Okay,” I said flatly. “What’s this about?”
He looked slightly offended. “You’re not even gonna say ‘hi, Dave. How have you been?’”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t have time for pleasantries with you. Just tell me what you came to say.”
He sighed and gestured toward the mall entrance. “Let’s take a walk. It’s not something I want to say standing in the parking lot.”
I hesitated. Then took a long slurp from the drink and nodded once. “Fine. But make it quick.”
We walked through the mall, past the noise of the food court, toward the quieter wing where most of the stores were closing. My steps echoed off the tiled floor.
“So,” Dave started, his voice light, “how are you doing with Kyle’s… disappearance?”
I sipped the Slurpee again. “I’m fine.”
He looked sideways at me. “Are you, though?”
I didn’t answer.
He tried again. “I heard what happened.”
I stopped walking. “If you’re trying to dig for gossip, I’m not in the mood.”
“I’m not,” he said quickly. “I swear. I just… I want to talk.”
“Well, talk.”
He looked nervous, which was not like him. “I wanted to apologize, Debby.”
I stared at him. “For cheating on me?”
He winced. “Yeah… for all of that.”
I kept my expression stone-cold. “Great. Now that we’ve done that, can you tell me what the hell this has to do with Kyle so I can leave? I’m not even supposed to be here. I hate that I came.”
“I get that,” he said. “But I really did want to help you.”
I took another slurp, my hands tightening around the cold cup. I shouldn’t have come. I knew it. I should’ve ignored his text.
Then, suddenly, the world tilted.
My vision blurred.
I blinked hard. “Wait… I’m feeling dizzy.”
Dave reached out instinctively. “Debby, wait—let me help—”
“No,” I said, trying to push him back. “I’m—I’m fine—”
But I wasn’t.
My steps dragged, like the floor was clinging to my shoes. The lights overhead blurred—bright smears bleeding into each other like wet paint on glass.
“Debby?” Dave’s voice was distant, like it was coming from underwater. “Debby, what’s wrong?”
I tried to answer, but the words tangled in my throat. My hand reached out for something—anything—to hold onto.
“I—don’t feel—”
The ground tilted.
Voices warped.
And then—nothing.