Chapter 100
“I’m at the parking lot.”
The reply came shortly after.
“Coming.”
I stood there, shifting my weight from one foot to the other, pretending to scroll through my phone while actually scanning my surroundings.
When DeLuca finally appeared, I didn’t move immediately. I waited, watched, made sure no one was paying attention. Then I walked to the car like it was a big deal and slipped inside quickly.
The door shut. Safe.
He got in a moment later, started the engine, and the car rolled into motion.
I hesitated for a second before speaking. “We should start being more discreet.”
He glanced at me briefly. “Why?”
I shrugged lightly. “I just… prefer it.” It was better I remained vague. Explaining how his attention could make me suffer was something I didn’t see myself stressing to do. Plus I didn’t want to feed his ego in anyway.
He studied me for a second longer, then nodded once. “Okay.”
That was it. No push. I appreciated it. The rest of the drive passed in silence.
Friday night slipped into Saturday without much ceremony. I woke up with the immediate realization that I had wasted time. Precious time. Time I did not have.
I’m actually going to fail, I muttered, already reaching for my notes.
With this, the day turned into a cycle: study, get tired, check my phone, go back to studying, forget what I just read, run the cycle again. Math and I had an ongoing disagreement, and neither of us was willing to come to a conclusion.
At some point, Lillian appeared. I didn’t see her come in, but suddenly she was there, talking. “…and then she said- wait, are you
even listening?”
I am, I said, eyes still on my book.
“You’re not.
I am physiologically present.” I didn’t even know what that meant.
“What’s that?”
I nodded. ‘It’s the best you’re getting.”


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