Chapter 219

The warmth of the water flowed around me, a gentle lull that pulled me toward sleep. … "Ari, hurry up! I heard the popular guy is here." I looked up, and everything around me was blurry and surreal. Where was I? Teri's face appeared before me, lit with excitement. "Come on! We'll miss him if we're late! They're short on helpers for the event, so he's lending a hand. Come on, everyone's going to see him." She reached out to pull me along. "No. I don't want to go." Teri gave me a puzzled look. "Why not? It's Elijah! He's the most popular guy on campus, and his family's loaded." Something lodged in my throat, words refusing to come out. Ignoring my hesitation, she grabbed my hand and pulled me forward, weaving through the crowd. Finally, we reached the small theater where rehearsals were taking place. I looked around in a daze, the sea of people unfamiliar. "Teri, let's leave. I'm not interested to see him…" I heard myself speak, my voice distant. But Teri didn't seem to hear me