Hay Creek

Chapter 29.

"Honey!"
"Ave, wake up."

I slowly opened my eyes to the familiar sound of my mother's voice. She sat on the edge of my bed, her left hand resting gently on my forehead. "Do you feel okay? You feel warm. I think you might have a fever."

I blinked, attempting to sit up, and pressed my hand against my forehead. "I'm fine..." I replied, but confusion crept into my voice. Why did it feel like I had a fever?

"Are you sure?" she pressed, concern knitting her brow. "Your temperature is a bit too high."

"No, really, I'm fine." I swung my legs over the side of the bed, trying to shake off the heavy feeling. My mother stood up, stepping back as if to give me space.

"You're responding way too quickly. Are you absolutely sure? Maybe you should stay home today."

"I'm fine. I'm positive. I can go to school," I insisted, my tone firmer than I felt. Something was off, but I didn't know why. I wasn't sick, that much I knew.

I hurried into the bathroom and closed the door behind me.

"Avery Ross! Open the door!" my mother called, trying the handle.

"I'll be out in a second, Mom!"

"Avery, what's going on? I know something's up."

"I know, Mom. Just give me a minute!"

I heard her let out a deep breath, the kind that said she was trying to stay calm.

Standing in front of the mirror, I noticed my reflection looked a bit paler than usual. I blinked a few times, hoping to shake off the fog. When I stopped blinking, I was taken aback—my eyes were glowing bright green. I wasn't just looking at myself anymore; I was seeing her. After countless attempts, I had finally succeeded. I had seen her before, but this felt profoundly real. As I tilted my head, she mirrored my movements perfectly. When I moved back, she did too.

I sank down onto the bathroom floor, and she lay down beside me. She was breathtaking.

"Avery, are you okay?" my mother called from the other side of the door.

"Yes, Mom, I'm okay. Perfectly fine," I replied, forcing a smile.

"Alright, if you say so. But if you still want to go to school, you need to hurry. If you want to stay home, that's okay too."

"Okay, Mom. Thank you. I'll hurry."

As I turned back to the mirror, she turned around with me.

I got to my feet and began to undress. Time to get ready. I blinked again, and just like that, she was gone. My eyes returned to their normal state as I headed for the shower.

As soon as I turned on the water, memories of last night flooded my mind. After Kai's order, we hadn't exchanged a single word. He stayed until I fell asleep, but I had no idea when he left. The whole experience had left me reeling. I sensed I had to fulfill my order soon.

At school, Kai and I barely spoke. There was a palpable distance between us, but I couldn't blame him—I felt the same. The others noticed our silence, but thankfully, no one brought up the events of the previous day. I suspected Kai had told them to steer clear of the subject. Yet, despite his efforts, Marley wasn't shy about expressing her disapproval.

Isaac seemed to be holding it together. We bumped into Skyler in the hall, and Kai stepped aside to give Isaac a moment with him while we kept watch. It was endearing to see Isaac so nervous. At one point, both of them pulled out their phones to exchange numbers. They said their goodbyes with a hug, but no kiss.