Chapter 8: A Shock of Reality

Dana curled up in bed, pulling the blankets tighter around her. The room felt suffocating. It was dark and heavy, and she felt as if the weight of everything that had happened was pressing down on her chest. Tears rolled down her cheeks, hot and relentless, no matter how many times she tried to wipe them away.

She wore an old cotton nightgown and a bonnet, but the comfort of her favourite cloth wasn’t enough to stop the ache in her chest. Her heart felt bruised. Her mind kept replaying Corey’s parents’ words, the cruel laughter, the look in Perry’s eyes as he sneered at her.

A soft knock came at the door, followed by the sound of it creaking open. Dana didn’t bother to turn her head. She knew who it was.

Riley’s voice broke the silence. “Okay, seriously. How long is this going to go on?”

Dana sniffed, pulling the blanket higher over her shoulders. “What do you mean?”

Riley stepped into the room, her hands on her hips, taking in the dimly lit space with a look of pure disapproval. “I mean this,” she said, gesturing to the closed curtains, the pile of tissues on the nightstand, and the general gloom hanging in the atmosphere. “You’ve been like this since yesterday. If you don’t snap out of it soon, I’m going to drag you out of here myself.”

Dana didn’t reply, her eyes fixed on the edge of the bed.

Riley huffed and marched over to the window. “Enough of this.” She yanked the curtains open and the room flooded with sunlight. Dana winced, shielding her eyes.

“I was fine with letting you wallow for a day,” Riley continued, grabbing an air freshener from the dresser and spraying it around the room. “But this? This isn’t healthy.”

Dana finally sat up, her voice soft and hoarse. “You don’t understand.”

“I do understand,” Riley said, turning around to face her. “You’re hung up on a guy who won’t even pick up his phone! And don’t even get me started on his nightmare parents. They’re the reason you’re like this, aren’t they? I swear, Dana, if I ever see them, I’ll—”

“Don’t,” Dana interrupted, her voice trembling. “Just… don’t.”

Riley’s eyes softened as she sat down on the edge of the bed. “Dana, listen to me. I love you, but you’ve got to let him go. At least for now. Until things start to make sense again. You can’t keep doing this to yourself.”

Dana didn’t respond. Her throat felt tight; the lump of emotion refusing to let her speak. Riley sighed, grabbed her hands and pulled her up.

“Get up,” she demanded.

“Riley, I don’t—”

“Nope, no excuses. You’re coming with me. Tobi’s throwing a birthday party tonight, and you need a serious distraction. You don’t even have to talk to anyone if you don’t want to, but you’re not staying in this bed all night.”

Dana shook her head, but Riley wasn’t giving her a choice. She pulled her out of bed and practically shoved her toward the closet.

***

The party was already in full swing by the time they arrived. Music thumped through the speakers, and the scent of pizza and spilled beer hung in the air. The place was packed with people, all laughing and chatting.

Riley immediately spotted Tobi across the room and gave Dana an encouraging nudge. “You’ll be fine. Just grab a drink or something. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Before Dana could argue, Riley had already disappeared into the crowd.

Dana sighed and made her way to the bar. She grabed a margarita, sipped it slowly. The cool liquid sure calmed her nerves. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the heaviness in her chest. She didn’t belong here. Not tonight.

“Having a bad night?” A voice startled her.

She turned to see a young man standing beside her. He looked like he could still be in college, with his boyish face and easy smile. His shoulders were broad, and his posture was confident, the kind of guy who didn’t have to work hard to get attention.

Dana gave him a polite smile. “You could say that.”

He leaned against the bar, studying her. “I’m guessing it’s love. Or something close to it.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “What makes you say that?”

“Call it a sixth sense,” he said, grinning. “Plus, the way you’re holding that drink like it’s the only thing keeping you from falling apart kind of gave it away.”

Dana let out a soft laugh. “You’re observant.”

“Not always,” he admitted. “Just when it counts.” He paused, his expression softening. “Love hurts, doesn’t it?”

Dana nodded, her chest acting up again. “Yeah. It does.”

The young man smiled sadly. “My mom always said you have to enjoy life, even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.”

For a moment, they just stood there, both lost in their own thoughts. Then he stepped closer, his hand brushing lightly against her arm.

“You’re beautiful,” he said softly. “I bet whoever’s got you feeling like this doesn’t deserve you.”

Dana froze as he leaned in, his lips brushing lightly against her neck before planting a soft kiss on her cheek.

“Let go of the stress,” he murmured. “Have a little fun.”

For a split second, Dana considered it. The idea of letting go, of losing herself for just a moment, was tempting. But then Corey’s face flashed in her mind, and her resolve hardened.

“I can’t,” she said, gently pushing him away. “I’m sorry.”

The young man stepped back, his expression was unreadable. “It’s fine,” he said after a moment. “Take care of yourself.”

He walked away, disappearing into the crowd, and Dana let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

Riley, meanwhile, was glowing. Dana spotted her across the room, swaying to the music with Tobi. They were laughing, their faces close, and for a second, Dana allowed herself to imagine what it would be like to have that kind of happiness. To be that carefree.

She closed her eyes, picturing Corey instead of Tobi. The way he smiled when he let his guard down, the way he made her feel safe even when everything else was falling apart.

Her heart ached. She couldn’t do this anymore. She couldn’t keep waiting, wondering, hoping he’d reach out.

Dana grabbed her purse and started toward Riley, but the look on her friend’s face stopped her. Riley was so caught up in the moment, so completely happy, that Dana couldn’t bring herself to ruin it.

She slipped out quietly instead.

***

The next morning, Dana found herself standing in front of Crawford High. The school was smaller than she remembered, its brick exterior weathered but the atmosphere still felt familiar. Corey’s siblings, she’d heard him say once, were still in high school. If she couldn’t find Corey, maybe she could find them.

She felt ridiculous hiding behind a bush near the parking lot, but she didn’t want to be seen. Not yet.

Her heart jumped when she saw Corey’s car pull into the lot. She stood straighter, craning her neck for a better view.

It was Corey. Or at least, she thought it was. He was in the driver’s seat, leaning over to unlock the door for his siblings.

But then she noticed the woman in the passenger seat.

Dana’s stomach sank. The woman was about Corey’s age, her hair pulled into a sleek ponytail. She laughed at something Corey said, and he smiled back—really smiled, the kind of smile Dana hadn’t seen in a while.

Her heart started to beat really hard, and it felt painful. Was he dating someone else? Is that why he hadn’t called or texted her?

She didn’t know how long she stood there, frozen, watching the car drive away. But when it was gone, so was her composure.