Secrets

Chapter 15 - Change

The next morning, Mia barely recognized herself in the mirror. Her complexion, pale the night before, was now ashen, her eyes sunken and shadowed like bruises had bloomed overnight.

Her lips were dry and cracked, and her hair hung limply around her face, damp with sweat.

She felt hollow, as though the blood in her veins had been replaced with ice water. The tremors were worse, her hands unsteady even as she gripped the edge of the sink for support.

The bite marks on her neck, which she had carefully hidden with her sweater, itched and burned faintly, a constant reminder of how far she'd fallen into this nightmare.

The shadows were still there, too. They clung to the corners of the room like cobwebs, more distinct now, their skeletal forms stretching toward her with silent, grasping hands.

Mia splashed water on her face, hoping the coolness would shock her back to some semblance of normalcy. It didn't. The reflection staring back at her was a ghost, a hollow version of herself, and for a moment, she wasn't sure if she was even real.

A knock on the door snapped her out of her daze.

"Mia?" Eliza's voice came from the other side, soft but concerned. "Are you up?"

Mia quickly wiped her face with a towel and adjusted her scarf.

"Yeah," she called back, her voice hoarse. "Just give me a second."

She took a deep breath, steadying herself before opening the door. Eliza stood there, her expression immediately shifting to one of alarm as she took in Mia's appearance.

"God, Mia, you look—" Eliza cut herself off, her brows knitting in worry. "Are you okay? Did you sleep at all?"

Mia gave a weak smile. "Not much. Just tired."

Eliza wasn't convinced. "You look worse than last night. Have you been feeling... different?"

Mia hesitated, her fingers twitching at her sides. "I'm fine. It's probably just stress."

Eliza frowned, but before she could press further, Alex appeared behind her, holding a cup of coffee. His usual light-hearted demeanor vanished the moment he saw Mia.

"Whoa," he said, stepping closer. "Mia, you're pale as a sheet. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I said I'm fine," Mia snapped, more forcefully than she intended. She immediately regretted it, her voice softening. "Sorry. I just didn't sleep well."

Alex exchanged a worried glance with Eliza.

"Maybe we should call Matt," he suggested, his tone cautious.

"Call him for what?" Matt's voice cut in as he entered the hall. His eyes landed on Mia, and his expression darkened. "What the hell happened?"

Mia folded her arms over her chest, her gaze dropping to the floor.

"Nothing happened," she muttered. "I'm just tired, okay?"

Matt didn't look convinced. He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he inspected her.

"This isn't just exhaustion," he said quietly. "It's the bite, isn't it? Something's changing."

Mia stiffened, the weight of his words sinking in. The room felt too small, the walls closing in around her. She could feel their eyes on her, their concern pressing down like a physical force.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Eliza said quickly, her tone meant to diffuse the tension. "Mia, have you been feeling any... unusual symptoms?"

Mia hesitated, her heart pounding. She thought of the blood she'd coughed up, the hallucinations, the way her body felt like it was betraying her at every turn. But she couldn't bring herself to tell them. Not yet.