𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐃𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒, k. jacobs¹

Chapter XXIX

"Hey, Y/n?" Karl says suddenly. We had found a small patch of soft grass to lay on and watch the stars, and he surprisingly never let go of my hand. Not that I mind it, his hand is warm against my own.

"Hm?" I'm not fully with him, half my soul is lost somewhere amongst the many stars above us. I think people are really sleeping on how pretty they are.

"Who called you earlier?" He asks, and I turn my head to face him. "You know when I was in the parking lot with Sapnap and you walked away for a bit." He tries to sound unbothered, but I know he isn't.

"Oh, then?" I raise my eyebrows and slowly turn my face back towards the night sky. I sigh, creating a cloud of hot air to rise from my lips. "It was just Dream being stupid."

"Oh." Is all he says and the silence is awfully loud. Suddenly our relaxed moment in the woods isn't as relaxed as it should be.

I gently squeeze his hand and to my relief, he squeezes it back. I want to shuffle closer to him, but I'm too afraid to move. I break the silence by asking him if we should leave and get Sapnap.

"Yeah, we probably should" He sighs and stands up.

He looks back at me, who's sitting on the ground still, and smiles. "Ready? One, two, three..." He counts and then uses his arm strength to pull me up from the ground, using our connected hands. I push off with my other hand and then use my legs for the last bit, channeling too much momentum and crashing into him as I almost fall flat on my face.

"Oh god, sorry" I apologize and take a step back, letting go of his hand. Mine gets cold without the heat of his.

"It's okay, it's no problem" He reassures me with a smile. "Let's go."

I just nod and follow him out of the woods. The dim lighting from the fairy lights is the first sign of life I see when we get closer to the parking lot where my brother is. I jog past Karl once we reach the concrete because suddenly I can't wait to jump in the car and turn on the heat.

I haven't realized how cold I am until just now when I was reminded of the heat that a car provides. Or a house. Oh good lord, to cuddle up under my sheets right now. Somehow the thought of my bed at Karls place reminds me of Alex. Maybe it's because the only time I've slept in it, I was on a call with him.

I shrug off the thought and open the back door. "Hello bitch." I greet my brother, as nice as ever. Then I notice that he's already in the back seat. "The honk are you doing back here?" I stare at him.

"I don't know man, shut up" He sounds defensive. Geez.

"Okay, well, move over" I demand and he does. I get in the car and take the seat he was just in, feeling the warmth of his ass. As I reach for the seatbelt Karl opens the drivers' door.

"Why is no one sitting in the passengers' seat? Do you guys hate me?" He acts sad.

"No Karl, I could never hate you. You're too cute to be hated on" Sapnap insists and pouts. I laugh at him and Karl giggles.

"Okay, let's go home," Karl says and turns on the engine.

"Yeah" I celebrate. "Oh, and turn on the heat, please and thank you" I add sweetly.

He does as I say without saying anything himself, and that's actually how the rest of the ride goes. We're all lost in thoughts, no one speaking a word to the others.

I stare at the small houses we pass through the glass of my window and wonder what all these strangers' lives are like. Are they like mine? Or completely different? I doubt I'll ever know.

I almost jump out of my own skin when my phone starts buzzing in my back pocket. I pull it out to set an end to the horrific sound that seems to echo through the car and catch a glance at the contact name before I decline it. It's Alex.