Hollows In Time (✔️) | 'Hollows' Book Ⅱ

Chapter Seventy-Three

^ It's Alexi's time to shine ^

"It was the anticipation, I think. I already knew what I had to say. But the anticipation I felt when imagining the fate I'd be condemned to after was worst than admitting the secret itself."
—I did something
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H o l l o w s I n
T I M E
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"So can someone tell me why we're playing Where's Therapist?" Lexi asked in the middle of our search as we neared the reception.

"Just pay attention." Jameson muttered. Lexi sighed, but complied nonetheless.

Then I spotted him.

"Jace!" I called, dashing out to the reception, where Jace was three people away from the front desk.

Jace glanced over at me, then behind at Jameson and Lexi.

"Can we talk?" I asked, approaching him as he became two people away from the front desk.

"Sky, I think it's best if you get a new therapist." He told me. Those tears started to blur my vision once more.

"I don't want a new therapist." I told him defiantly, hoping to distract him as he became second in line.

Jameson stood by my side, sizing up Jace.

"Jace, please." A lone tear fell as my voice cracked.

Without looking me in the eye, he said. "It's Mr Clarke to you."

And the tears rushed out.

"I need you." I whispered as the person in front said their thanks to the person at the desk. Jace turned away from me, as if he didn't even want to look at me. And it hurt. It ripped flesh from healed scars. It tore good memory from bad. It set the secrets on fire, and they scalded my skin.

"You need to let go; I'm leaving." He approached the desk, "Goodbye, Miss Forest."

And with that, I watched my whole world set ablaze, just like that mansion did.

So I ran. Just like I did when the building burned. I dashed past people, only turning when the mood turned dangerous. And when I did turn, I saw Jameson throw a strong punch in Jace's face. He'd be punished for that.

I caught a glimpse of Alexi trying to reach me, but I dodged past people, ran into the glass door with such a force that it hit the wall, knocking the handle out of place, before I launched myself out into the Academy's outside grounds.

Then I sprinted.

I had to get away. In that moment, it all crept up to me, and no matter how fast or how far I ran, it just kept reaching me—kept beating me.

I knew that Jameson and Alexi were trying to follow my trail, so I dashed into a forest, where my tracks would be covered by the trees.

I ran and ran and ran. I ran until I fell legs first into a ditch the size of Wonderland itself.

I landed, thankfully, on my back—which knocked the wind out of me, and would bruise, but was better in the long run since it didn't break any limbs.

I curled up and laid there for what felt like an eternity, watching the sun set over the top of the ditch, the blood-red streams of light staining the shadows in the sky.

Then I heard heavy footsteps. Someone came to an abrupt halt at the hollow, and I felt as dirt landed on my body. But I no longer cared. I'd like to be buried. At least then I can actually take my secrets to the grave.