Tangled

21 Ava: Paranoia and Secrets (II)

[LISA BURNER: Your brother’s looking for you. I think he believes me that I don’t know anything, but I’m not sure. I’m deleting everything off this phone just in case. I have a bad feeling about this]

[AVA: Be careful. It might be better if we don’t talk for a few weeks. I just heard two shifters talking earlier today; it looks like they’re finally searching.]

[LISA BURNER: I love you, Ave. I’m worried. Have I been watching too many crime documentaries? Anyway, I’ll text you when it’s safer.]

I clutch my phone in fear, the plastic case digging into my palm as I rush out of the lecture hall. My heart pounds with a frantic rhythm, echoing the chaos in my mind. The two shifters‘ words replay in an endless loop, fueling the fear that coils tighter with each passing second.

Escape. I need to escape.

I weave through the throngs of students, desperate to put as much distance between myself and those who might be searching for me. The world around me blurs

14:45

17

21 Ava: Paranola and Secrets (1)

into a kaleidoscope of colors and faces, each one a potential threat. I can’t shake the feeling that eyes are watching my every move, that danger lurks in every shadow.

The bus stop offers a brief respite, and I collapse onto the bench, gasping for air. My eyes dart back and forth, scanning the crowd for any sign of pursuit. The minutes crawl by, each one amplifying the tension coiled within me.

Finally, the bus arrives, and I board with a sense of urgency, clutching my bag close to my chest. As it lurches forward, I sink into a seat near the back, my gaze fixed on the window, searching for any suspicious figures or movements.

ride is a blur of paranoia, every passenger a potential enemy. I study their faces, their mannerisms, looking for any telltale signs that might give away their true nature. But all I

leap from my seat. Relief washes over me as I spot Selene waiting

• 14:45 — ).

217

Paranoia and Secrets (I)

my voice trembling. She trots over to me, her tail wagging, and for a moment, the weight on my shoulders eases. Together, we hurry towards the safety of my apartment, my

against the door, burying my face in my hands as sobs wrack my body. Fear, frustration, and a deep sense of isolation crash over me in waves, threatening to drown me in their

whines softly, nuzzling against my side, her warmth a comforting presence in the midst of my turmoil. I cling to her,

The tears flor

for the family

startle awake, my cheek pressed against my knees as the last vestiges of a

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Ava Paranoia and

taking in the familiar surroundings of my apartment,

piercing blue eyes regarding me with concern. A wave of affection washes over me as I reach out to stroke her silky fur,

eaten properly since breakfast. With a groan, I push myself up from

time, girl,” I murmur, offering Selene a weary smile

a welcome distraction from the turmoil that had

the motions with practiced ease, the sizzle of the pan and the aroma of

the air with a

Ava: Paranoia and Secrets

that had gripped me so tightly begins to loosen its hold, replaced by a steely resolve. I cannot let the threat of discovery paralyze me;

draws me from my reverie, and I turn to find Selene sitting in the doorway, the unmistakable glimmer of the purple crystal clenched between her jaws. A surprised laugh escapes my lips as I cross

her several times over the past few

little troublemaker?” I chide, holding the crystal up to the fading

with a tingling sensation. I gasp, nearly dropping the crystal in surprise, but something