Shadows of the Multiverse

Chapter 12

Ava's POV

Sitting on my bed, I gazed at my room's walls. My thoughts were consumed by the happenings of the last few days. I was still concerned about the consequences of what happened at Ravenwood for all of us. When my phone buzzed, I noticed that Alex had left me a message.

Alex: How do you feel?

With a sigh, I typed a brief response.

Me: I'm fine, just trying to make sense of everything.

I remembered that I had promised to speak with Damian as I pressed submit. The idea made me nervous, but I needed answers. Despite Ingrid's support, I still felt like I was the only one going through this. I decided that I needed to leave the house and get some fresh air.

I texted Alex.

Me: Want to grab some coffee?

Alex: Sure! I'll be there in ten.

The idea of seeing him caused a tiny flutter of joy in my stomach. Even when everything seemed so complicated, Alex had a way of making me feel secure.

When Alex arrived, I noticed he looked a bit worried. As we made our way to the coffee shop, he said, "Hey, how are you really doing?"

"I'm all right. "I'm just thinking about Damian," I said, looking down.

Alex frowned."I know you want to talk to him, but be careful. He's been acting strange."

Feeling the impact of what he had spoken, I nodded. "I will."

I opened the door as we arrived at the coffee shop, and the comforting scent of coffee filled the air. I made an effort to concentrate on the talk as we located a little table in the corner. However, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that someone was watching us as we spoke.

I looked around, but everyone seemed busy. I tried to ignore it and continued talking to Alex, but the feeling continued to linger creeping up my spine.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" Alex asked, his eyes searching mine.

"Yeah, just... a little jumpy," I replied, forcing a smile.

I decided to change the topic after some time. "Ingrid promised to locate Damian. She believes he may have some insight into what happened."

Alex stiffened. "Really? That is dangerous."

"I know, but we can't just sit around waiting. We need answers," I said, my voice firm.

As we finished our coffee, I glanced at the door. That same unsettling feeling of being watched returned, stronger this time. I leaned in closer to Alex as my heart raced. "Do you feel that?"

He looked around, concern engraved on his face. "Feel what?"

"That we're being watched," I muttered, hardly raising my voice above silence.

Before he could respond, I noticed a man standing outside the window. Even though shadows partially covered his face, I could tell he was staring at us. I shivered, pulling my jacket tighter around me.

"Who is that?" I asked, pointing discreetly.

Alex turned, his expression growing serious. "I don't know. Let's get out of here."

The man moved away from the window and vanished into the crowd as we were about to leave. I looked back with a mixture of curiosity and terror. "What do you think he wants?"

"I don't know, but let's not stick around to find out," Alex replied, guiding me out of the shop.

We walked in silence, and I felt the weight of my thoughts pressing down again. I felt more unsure than ever, but I had to speak with Damian. As we headed back to my house, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to change.

Author's Note: Hi everyone! I'm back. I apologize for leaving without any updates. I know I'm posting on a day that's not a Thursday, but this is part of a new approach. From now on, I'll post whenever I have the time, and I might even post two days in a row (which is rare). I'll do my best to share updates as frequently as I can. Thank you for your understanding!