Gone Girl 3

Chapter 8

Spring break is over and I have to go to my classes or I won't pass since they ask for 75% attendance and I missed a lot of days.

My mom and I haven't talked since our argument when I told her I'd choose Derek over her.

It's not that I would choose him over my mother, it's the fact that she could ever ask such a thing from me. It's toxic and cruel.

I haven't moved back to campus yet but I will move these days when I figure out things with my mother.

I don't want to ask Dominic or Irène to take me to class. Everything is so uncomfortable between us. And Nicole is already on campus and to be fully honest, I'm slightly upset she told my business to all of them. I feel betrayed. It wasn't her story to tell, I only told my mom, Derek and Nicole, and I regret telling them so much.

I'm tired of being looked at as if I'm broken. They are trying to protect me but I only feel suffocated.

I walk to the kitchen to ask my mom something, since she is still home from work but she will start her job as soon as I go back to campus.

"Mom, can I take your car? I'll be back in three hours," I say.

This is the first time we talk in days.

"Do you want me to give you a ride?" she asks worried.

I roll my eyes. "I want some space."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea... you just had a car accident two weeks ago."

"It's not the car you should worry about," I reply annoyed.

She sighs as she hands me her car key.

"Can't you call Dominic or Nicole?" she asks as she stares at her keys in my hand.

"I'm late and they are already on campus," I answer with sincerity.

"Take care," she says as I walk away and slam the main door.

It's windy, I'm not throwing a tantrum... but it seems like this to her.

I go to my mom's car and I sit in the driver's seat which is a bit too tall for me so I adjust it.

I've never driven bigger cars.

I put the seatbelt on and I get a random flashback to when I was running from my rapist and didn't even remember to put the seatbelt. I didn't care, actually.

Now I regret it, my head wouldn't have been as wounded as it was without a seatbelt on. I got very lucky, regardless.

I try to drive slowly since I didn't get out of the hospital too long ago. I'm still a bit shaken up. Maybe I really shouldn't drive...

If I don't drive a bit faster I won't be there in time. I'm just not a morning person anymore, old Veronica would have been there four hours earlier.

Thirty minutes later and I'm still not that close. The traffic today is overwhelming.

I stop at the traffic light and I take out my phone for a second to look at the notifications. Nothing.

When I look up, I spot a man standing in front of the car, staring at me. He starts running towards my car and I panic.

Him.

I start breathing shallow and I close my eyes for a second, refusing to believe it.

I turn the wheel to the right, as I'm about to hit the gas pedal I notice that there are other cars and I was about to hit them.

I look in front of me again and the man monster disappeared.

It wasn't real... oh my God, I keep having these hallucinations that are going to kill me.