A Size Too Big For Him

Chapter 5: Pull of the Unknown

After a fun night with her new friends, Clara returned to her apartment, feeling a bit lighter. It felt good to laugh and be herself, even if the texts from earlier had unsettled her. She took a long, hot shower, letting the water wash away her lingering anxiety. Once she was out, she slipped into some comfortable clothes, tied her damp hair back, and decided to focus on something productive: studying for her upcoming sociology exam.

Not long after she'd settled on her couch with her notes, her phone buzzed with a message from Lila: "Zoom study session? I'm completely lost."

Clara smiled, grateful for the distraction, and sent Lila the link to join her on a Zoom call. Within minutes, Lila's face popped up on the screen, her hair piled into a messy bun, surrounded by an assortment of highlighted notes and textbooks.

"Hey, study buddy," Lila greeted her with a tired but warm smile. "Thanks for rescuing me—I am drowning in this material."

"Same," Clara said, chuckling. "Let's tackle it together."

They dove into the study session, quizzing each other on terms, comparing notes, and discussing some of the trickier concepts. But halfway through, Clara's mind kept drifting back to Alec's text, the unanswered question still gnawing at her. Should she meet him? She wanted to let it go, but the more she tried, the more it crept into her thoughts.

Eventually, Lila noticed the distraction. She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at Clara through the screen. "Okay, spill. Something's up. You've been spaced out for the last five minutes."

Clara hesitated, glancing down at her notebook. But then she sighed, deciding it might be better to get it off her chest. "It's... Alec," she admitted. "I wasn't going to bring it up, but he messaged me earlier, asking to meet him at Adeline Diner tomorrow. He wants to talk."

Lila's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, Alec Forester? Mr. Mysterious himself?" She leaned closer to the screen, clearly intrigued. "Why does he want to meet up all of a sudden?"

Clara bit her lip, unsure of how to explain it. "Honestly, I don't know. He didn't give me a reason, just said he wanted to talk. And... I'm conflicted. I don't know if I should go."

Lila made a face, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "Well, if I'm honest, I don't love the idea. Alec and his family... they've got this weird hold over Brook Town. No one really questions it, but it's like his family runs this place. They have so much influence here, and I can't wrap my head around it."

"Really?" Clara frowned, genuinely surprised. "I mean, I noticed his family's name around town, but I didn't realize it was that deep."

"Yeah, it's strange," Lila said, her brow furrowing. "I don't get why people are so afraid to talk about it. Whenever I bring it up, people brush it off, like it's just 'the way things are.' But something about it doesn't sit right with me."

Clara hesitated, then sighed. "It's just... I thought he was different when we first met. He invited me to that party last week, and I barely knew anyone there, but the second we got there, he ditched me. Left me alone the whole night to go hang out with Heather."

Lila's face twisted in a sympathetic grimace. "Ouch. That's... yeah, that's pretty awful. I get why you'd be wary of meeting up with him now."

Clara absorbed Lila's words, feeling the weight of her friend's reservations. It was comforting to know someone else shared her doubts. But then, a part of her still wanted answers. She thought back to her encounters with Alec, the way he seemed drawn to her, and the cryptic way he'd spoken to her before.

Clara hesitated, then added, "It's just... every time I'm around him, I get this weird feeling in my body. Not bad, just... intense. Like there's something unexplainable pulling me to him. I don't even understand it, but it's been there since the first time I met him."