CHAPTER 6: Psycho alert
My mind was a mess, and I mean a complete, tangled mess. I couldn’t make sense of what just happened. Ethan’s arm was still wrapped around me, the word “mate” echoing in my head like some kind of spell. Was he… was he serious? Did I just imagine it? Did I pass out somewhere in this hallway and hallucinate all of this?
But no—his hand was right there on my arm, firm and real, and his face, that intense, brooding look, hadn’t budged. And I just… stood there, staring at him, completely frozen.
Then suddenly, a voice jolted me out of my daze.
“Whoa… Am I, like… interrupting something?”
It was Tessa.
She was standing a few feet away, her eyebrows raised and a smirk spreading across her face. I snapped back to reality, blinking as I remembered myself.
“No,” I mumbled, almost too fast, tearing myself from Ethan’s grip. “Nothing. Definitely nothing.” I took a step back, trying to act like my heart hadn’t just been pounding out of my chest. Not looking at him, I practically shoved him away, pretending he was some stranger on the street who had accidentally brushed against me.
But in my mind, a warning bell was going off, loud and clear: Psycho alert. That was it. That was my conclusion. I didn’t know what his game was, but I wasn’t going to stick around to find out. I turned and strode down the hall without another word, without even a backward glance.
“Cam! Wait up!” Tessa called, jogging after me. I kept my pace fast and determined, eyes fixed straight ahead, as if I could just out-walk whatever just happened.
When she caught up, she didn’t waste any time. “Sooo… that was some kind of sibling bonding moment?” She shot me a side-eye, her tone practically dripping with implication.
I rolled my eyes, not even giving her the satisfaction of an answer. “I don’t want to talk about it,” I muttered, my mind racing as I tried to piece together some semblance of normalcy.
We walked in silence for a few moments, and I was almost sure Tessa was gearing up to push for details. But as we got outside, the fresh air finally hit me, and I took a deep breath, trying to shove whatever that was with Ethan out of my mind.
“So… about that karaoke thing,” I blurted out, changing the topic so abruptly that Tessa nearly tripped on the pavement.
She looked at me, totally baffled. “Wait… you want to join? You want to come to karaoke?” Her face was priceless, like I had just announced I wanted to go skydiving or join the circus.
I shrugged, trying to play it off as if this wasn’t a total 180. “Yeah. Why not? Thought it might be… fun or something.” I barely recognized my own voice saying it. Normally, I would rather hide under a rock than be out somewhere loud and crowded with people belting out terrible pop songs. But right now? Anything—anything—was better than going back home and dealing with Ethan or the whole situation.
Tessa just stared at me, one eyebrow raised in disbelief, before she shook her head and laughed. “Well, okay then, Miss Anti-Social. Come on, let’s go grab a table before it gets packed.”
As we made our way downtown to the karaoke spot, I tried to focus on anything besides the gnawing anxiety in the pit of my stomach. I could feel Tessa eyeing me every few minutes, but thankfully, she let it slide without further questions. It felt good, having something to look forward to, even if it was totally out of my comfort zone.
Inside, the place was already buzzing with people laughing, singing, and probably butchering their favorite songs. Tessa found a table near the front, and the energy of the place hit me like a jolt of caffeine. I had to admit, it wasn’t awful. The lights were dim, and a few people from school were there too, looking relaxed and nothing like they did in class.
Tessa nudged me. “Look who’s actually smiling! I don’t even think I remember the last time you voluntarily went somewhere social.”
I laughed, rolling my eyes. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
“Oh, I’m definitely making a big deal out of it. Who even are you right now?” She laughed, pulling out her phone and scrolling through song choices on the karaoke app. “You know, if I’m being honest, I didn’t think you actually meant it. Figured you would bail at the last minute, as usual.”
“Not this time,” I said firmly, surprising even myself with how confident I sounded. Karaoke can’t be worse than what was waiting for me at home.
The hours flew by in a blur of terrible singing, loud laughter, and clinking glasses. For a little while, I forgot about Ethan and everything that came with him. Tessa went up for a rendition of some old pop hit, and it was just the right kind of distraction—a silly, fun, nothing-matters kind of moment.
But of course, nothing is ever simple for long. Just as I was starting to feel a bit more relaxed, my eyes drifted toward the door. And there, just walking in, was Ethan. Like he had been summoned by some cruel twist of fate.
I felt my heart lurch, my breath catching in my throat as I watched him scan the room. When his eyes found mine, his expression didn’t change—no smirk, no smug satisfaction. Just that intense, unreadable gaze. It was like he could see right through me.
“What’s wrong?” Tessa asked, noticing the sudden shift in my expression.
I forced myself to tear my eyes away, managing a weak smile. “Nothing. Just… tired, I guess.”
But my mind was racing. What was he doing here? Was he following me? It didn’t feel coincidental. I shifted in my seat, trying to act casual, trying to ignore the way my skin prickled whenever I felt his gaze on me. My thoughts spiraled, and it hit me: Ethan really is a fucking psycho!
I felt chills.
“Alright, next up—Camila!” the DJ announced, and Tessa grinned at me, dragging me to the stage.
I had no idea what song was picked, no time to argue, as Tessa shoved the mic into my hand with a devilish grin. “Go on! Embrace the new you!”
With my heart pounding in my ears, I took a deep breath and stepped into the spotlight. The first notes of a song I barely knew played, and I managed to get through it, the laughter and clapping of the crowd like a balm to my anxiety. For a few minutes, I was in a bubble, just me and the music, no judgment, no fear.
When it was over, I handed the mic back, and looked out over the crowd for Ethan, but I couldn’t find him.
He was gone.
