Into Your World

3. Awakening Rift

Liza's POV

Despite the itchiness in my hands and the tight grip of anxiety constricting my chest, I plastered a smile on my face as I greeted him, "Hi," The word felt forced, almost foreign, as it left my lips. His jaw clenched, his muscles tensing visibly, and his eyes bore into me like daggers, sharp and unyielding. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down my spine, a reminder of the chasm between us.

The frustration and confusion etched on his face mirrored my own turmoil. I know what I did was wrong, dragging him into a world where he didn't belong and then sending him to jail. But what else was I supposed to do when a complete stranger materialized in my house out of nowhere? Offer him a warm greeting?

I lifted my hand, gesturing for him to step out. "Please," I said, my voice awkward and uncertain. His expression remained stoic, heightening my apprehension. Without a word, he walked out of the station, leaving my hand hanging in the air. I pressed my lips into a thin line and retracted my hand, trying to calm my nerves. "He's spent an entire night in jail, Lisa. Give him some time," I whispered to myself, following him silently.

As we walked side by side in uneasy silence, the enormity of the situation weighed heavily on me, pressing down with an almost tangible force. Here was this incredible being from another realm, and I was not fascinated or thrilled, I was overwhelmed and frightened. I didn't know what to do, say, feel, or believe. He had come out of a different realm, thanks to me, but how was I supposed to deal with this now? Nobody taught me about how you handle someone who's from an entirely different realm. I have no guidebook for this, no instructions on how to navigate the chaos I had unleashed. Hell, I didn't even know this was even possible before now. A fictional character into reality. I'm still trying to grapple with the fact that I summoned him.

I don't know what I'm gonna do next, how I'm going to send him back but I will try-try my best. So, here I am, bailing him out.

"What did you tell the cops?" he asked, his voice startled me, and I blinked, not believing he had actually spoken. Glancing at him briefly, I managed to answer, "Uh, I said you were my friend's boyfriend, here to surprise her. She had already left before you arrived, so you found me instead. I freaked out because I'd never seen you before. That's the story I gave them."

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Didn't they ask about my girlfriend?"

"Yeah, they did. I called an old friend to back up the story."

"Thank you," he said, and I tried hard not to melt at the sound of his voice. It was so damn hot. But the sarcasm that dripped with that word didn't go unnoticed by me.

"You don't need to thank me," I smiled, trying to mask the effect of this whole situation on me. I was nervous and scared. So many questions were bubbling within me, but, I pretended to be cool, or at least, I tried to, "I was just fixing my own mistake."

"Right. And you still have a bigger one in hand to fix."

"Yeah, I need to find a way."

There was a brief silence before he finally spoke, "Find a way?" his tone didn't sound like before. It sounded sharp and bitter.

I nodded, "Yeah, I mean, I don't know how to send you back," I reached for my car door, but before I could grasp it, his hand shot out, seizing my arm in a vice-like grip.

My heart skipped a beat as he yanked me back, his sudden movement causing my breath to catch in my throat. Our bodies were so close now, the air thick with tension as his piercing gaze bore into mine. His jaw was clenched, the muscles taut with frustration, and I could feel the intensity of his emotions radiating off him in waves.