DON’T STOP (Lila and Darrell) novel Chapter 129

Chapter 129

Chapter 129

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Viktor

Morning light filtered through my curtains, and I woke up feeling surprisingly energized despite the chaotic night. My body still hummed with the memory of Scarlett – both the real her in my arms and Red Fox coining apart on camera for me. A small, satisfied smile tugged at my lips as I rolled out of bed.

I was a neat person by nature; everything had its place. I spent the next thirty minutes tidying the apartment, making the bed with crisp corners, wiping down surfaces, organizing my desk so the laptop sat perfectly centred, and aligning my few books on the shelf. Only when everything looked orderly and calm did I feel ready to start the day.

I took a long, cold shower, letting the water wake me fully and wash away the dried cum from last night’s session. After drying off, I made a simple breakfast. It was scrambled eggs, toast, and black coffee, and I ate it standing at the kitchen counter while my mind wandered back to her.

With breakfast done, I sat down to work on my current research project. As a college student, I spent most of my time on scientific research – coding algorithms, running simulations, and developing new software tools. My last major project had unexpectedly sold for billions, the money that now let me live comfortably and tip Red Fox so generously. That fortune was burning down faster than I liked, especially with how much I’d been spending on her private sessions. Worse, my parents still had no idea about the money I got. I kept it hidden, preferring my quiet, anonymous life.

I reached for my glasses on the nightstand and winced the moment I put them on. The crack in the lens was worse than I remembered, distorting everything. I could barely see clearly. Damn. I couldn’t work like this, and I hated contact lenses with a passion. I’d had them once but threw them out because they felt irritating and unnatural. No way was I going back to

that.

There was only one solution: head to the family doctor’s clinic at the hospital and get a new pair made. They knew me there and could usually rush things.

I grabbed my hoodie, slipped on my shoes, and left the apartment building. Without clear vision, navigating was tricky — I could make out shapes and colors, but people’s faces were blurry. I sighed as I boarded the bus. “This is going to be a little hard,” I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.

The ride to the hospital felt longer than usual. I got off at the right stop and made my way inside, squinting at signs. The eye doctor was happy to see me, but after a quick exam he shook his head.

“Sorry, Viktor. The lab is backed up today. I can have the new pair ready and delivered to your apartment first thing tomorrow morning. Will that work?”

I nodded, thanking him politely. “That’s fine. I appreciate it.”

Leaving the clinic, I boarded the return bus. This time it was packed – rush hour crowds squeezing in from every direction. I was pressed between strangers, bodies jostling me from all sides. The noise was overwhelming: loud conversations, ringing phones, someone’s music leaking from earbuds. The air felt stuffy and warm. Soon sweat beaded on my forehead and a dull headache started throbbing behind my eyes. I gripped the pole tighter, willing the bus to reach my stop faster.

I just wanted to get home, back to the quiet of my tidy apartment, and maybe message Scarlett again as Vee later. Or… maybe find the courage to talk to her in person without everything exploding like last night.

The bus finally slowed at my stop. I pushed through the crowd, stepping off with relief, my head still pounding and vision blurry without proper glasses. One more day of this and then I’d see clearly again.

Just then, somebody suddenly tapped me on the shoulder from behind.

I turned around quickly, squinting hard. All I could make out was a blurry figure standing there – colors and general shape, but no clear face. My stomach twisted with embarrassment. I wanted to ask, “Who are you?” but the words felt rude in my throat. What if it was someone I knew well? Someone I was supposed to recognize? I scratched the back of my head

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Chapter 129

awkwardly, wishing I could just melt into the sidewalk and run away from this whole situation.

“Hey,” the person finally said.

I blinked twice. That voice… I knew that voice so well it sent a jolt straight through me.

“Hey?” the voice repeated, softer this time. “You okay?”

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “Red…” The word slipped out before I could stop it. Shit. That wasn’t what I was supposed to say. I quickly corrected myself. “Scarlett?”

There was a short pause.

“Are you probably that mad at me?” she asked, her tone carrying a mix of concern and hesitation.

The memory of last night flashed in my mind – her hand connecting with my cheek, the loud slap, my cracked glasses shifting on my face. “I guess,” I replied, trying to sound casual even though I couldn’t see a damn thing clearly. I kept my head turned slightly toward her blurry silhouette, pretending I could make out her expression.

“Was that why you kept ignoring my gazes in the bus?” she continued. “I even smiled and waved at you, but you kept looking away. I really made you mad, didn’t I?”

What? She had been on the same bus with me? The whole ride? I had been so focused on not bumping into people and dealing with my headache that I hadn’t noticed her at all. Surprise hit me hard, but I tried to keep it hidden.

Before I could figure out how to explain, she spoke again. “I see you aren’t wearing your glasses?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, adjusting my hoodie awkwardly.

“You look different,” she said softly.

“Different? How?” I asked, genuinely curious despite the blur.

Her shoulders shrugged in that blurry silhouette. “In a good way or a bad way?” I pressed.

“Both, I guess,” she replied. “I like you with your glasses on.”

Her words made something warm bloom in my chest, even through the embarrassment and the pounding headache. She liked me with my glasses. The shy, nerdy version of me. Not just the dominant side she knew as Vee. That small complim felt bigger than it probably should have.

I scratched the back of my head again, trying to find the right words. My vision was still a mess without the glasses, makin everything feel slightly off-balance. Part of me wanted to tell her the truth right there, that I couldn’t see her properly, th I’d broken them last night during the fight with the intruder, and that I was waiting for a new pair tomorrow. But another part, the awkward, scared part, kept me quiet. I didn’t want to seem even more helpless in front of her.

The bus stop was noisy around us, people moving past in blurry shapes. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, heart beating faster than normal.

Scarlett stood there waiting for me to say something, her voice gentle but still carrying that hint of last night’s tension.

I swallowed again, trying to steady myself.