Chapter 13

That night. I didn’t go home. I curled up on a hospital bench to sleep through the night.

The next day when I woke up, I was burning up with a fever.

My phone was silent the whole night; Dexter didn’t call even once.

“Ryder…” I called him from the bench. “About that study abroad thing. I’ve made up my mind.”

“Phoebe, do you have a cold?” Ryder’s voice came through, laced with concern.

“Yeah, got caught in the rain yesterday. Feeling a bit under the weather today.”

“Where are you? I’ll drop off some cold medicine,” Ryder was worried.

“If I hand in the application form today, how soon can I leave the country?” I asked with a sense of urgency in my voice.

At that time, I had a premonition that I might not survive if I didn’t leave.

I wanted to live, to get as far away from Dexter as possible.

As long as I left, it would all be over.

“If you apply now, you can get an acceptance letter in two months. I’ll ask the professor to expedite it. Once you get the notice, I’ll buy your plane ticket,” Ryder said, his voice laced with concern. “Is the cold serious? Should I come get you?”

“No need, Ryder… I’m at the hospital. Thank you.”

two months, I would be able to leave Sea City forever,

up, I left

back alleys outside the hospital, I suddenly felt lost, unsure where to go. My parents had died in a car accident, the house was sold, and the death compensation was gone to debts. Apart from the Fitzgerald family, I had

know where home was anymore.

dizzy, I found a corner to sit down, leaning against the wall and

found a jacket covering me.

the

up, I noticed two plastic–wrapped muffins beside

feeling somewhat resigned. A kind soul must have

Homeless?

seemed about

in my house, eat my food, and use

was no

it with

they

steps, then turned around at a

it much thought, I walked straight out

the Fitzgerald

where’s Phoebe? She hasn’t come back? She didn’t come home all night,” Hailey asked. worry etching her features.

dead, can she?”

the door, watching Dexter’s impatient demeanor, and

name is Ryder, your senior,” the housekeeper informed me

hesitated for a moment, then

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