DON’T STOP (Lila and Darrell) novel Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Bella

Lleft Darrell’s office and kept walking-fast at first, then slower as the hailway stretched on. My legs felt heavy, like they were moving through water. Every step echoed in my chest, right where that strange, squeezing ache lived now. I pressed my palm against my sternum again and squeezed hard like I could force the feeling back down into whatever hole it had crawled out of

What was this? I’d told myself a hundred times it was just guilt. Just shame. Just the aftermath of using my body to survive But it didn’t feel like guilt anymore. It felt… tender. Raw. Like something had been torn loose inside me and I couldn’t find he edges to stitch it back together.

I pictured him standing behind his desk; the way his shoulders had dropped when I said we were done, and the quiet crack n his voice when he asked if I felt anything. I hated that I noticed. I hated that I cared enough to notice. I hated that part of ne-small and stupid and scared-wanted to turn around, walk back in, and let him hold me until the ache stopped

urting.

stopped in the middle of the quad, leaned against the low brick wall near the fountain, and closed my eyes. The water rickled behind me, soft and steady. Students laughed somewhere nearby. Life kept moving. And I stood there feeling like I was breaking apart in slow motion.

My phone buzzed against my thigh.

pulled it out. Lara.

Hey, don’t forget lunch today. Same spot, 1:00? I miss you. heart emoji”

The heart emoji stared back at me. Innocent. Sweet. Like nothing had happened. Like she hadn’t used me as bait for her own feelings. Anyway, we were kind of cool now. She was trying hard to make me feel better.

My thumb hovered over the keyboard before I typed:

Will be there soon.

hit send before I could overthink it.

The phone buzzed again almost immediately, ringing this time.

Mom

Her name lit up the screen like a warning light. I stared at it. Watched it vibrate in my hand Once. Twice. Three times

didn’t answer.

hadn’t answered any of her calls since that night in the hallway since she’d said, so casually, “but if the money is stolen, then forget it.” The sentence still burned behind my eyes every time I thought about it. Mom, who’d always believed u who’d told me I could do anything, and who’d cried with me when the scholarship letter came, had looked at the money sent and seen theft instead of sacrifice.

I let the call go to voicemail. The screen went dark.

I stood there a moment longer, breathing slowly, trying to push everything back into place. I walked toward the dining hall but every step felt heavier than the last.

My phone rang again.

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Chapter 78

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I rolled my eyes, thumb already moving toward the red button. I couldn’t do this right now. Not after Darrell. Not after Lara Not after everything.

But my finger slipped-hit green instead-and the call connected.

“Bella? Baby, you picked up!” Mom’s voice burst through, bright and trembling with relief. “Oh God, thank you. I’ve been so worried. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I was wrong-completely wrong-to say that about the money. I was scared, that’s all 1 didn’t mean it. Please forgive me. I love you more than anything in this world.”

The words poured over me like warm rain. My throat closed. Tears I’d been holding back spilled over instantly, hot and fast down my cheeks.

“And listen,” she rushed on, “the doctors called this morning. The tumor’s shrinking-really shrinking. They say I’m responding so well. Final treatment tomorrow, and then… then it’s over. I’m going to be okay. We’re going to be okay. I just needed to tell you. I needed you to know.”

Relief crashed through me so violently my knees buckled. I grabbed the nearest bench and sank onto it, free hand covering my mouth to muffle the sob that escaped. “Mom…”

Just then-a deafening crunch of metal.

2

A sickening thud.

Silence.

Then a low, pained groan-hers.

Mom?” My voice cracked, barely a whisper.

No answer.

“Mom? Mom!”

The groan again. It sounded weak and broken. Then voices in the background-panicked shouting “Call 911!” someone yelled. Tires screeching. A woman screaming. More crashes. Glass shattering.

The phone slipped from my fingers. I stared at it on the ground like it had betrayed me.

No. No no no no.

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Tears streamed freely now. I couldn’t breathe. My chest heaved, but no air came in. Everything narrowed to that one sound -her groan, her pain, her silence.

I scrambled to my feet, legs shaking, and ran toward the road without thinking. Cars blurred past Someone honked I didn’t

care.

And then I saw him.

Darrell’s black car was turning the corner, heading straight toward me.

I stepped right into the lane, my arms spread wide, palms out with tears blinding me

He slammed on the brakes. Tires screamed. The car jerked to a stop inches from my knees.

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Chapter 78

aped in face roughly and ran to the driver’s side

He flung the door open, half out of the seat. “Bella? What the hell-”

“Help me.” I choked out. The words came broken. desperate. “My mom… she was on the phone.. there was a crash. I heard her groan… people screaming for an ambulance… she’s hurt… please…”

His face changed in an instant-worry flooding in, sharp and real. No questions. No hesitation.

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