CHAPTER 208: PEACE IS JUST A SETUP FOR CHAOS

"I have to go home tonight," Dominic said, shoving his phone into his pocket. His voice was soft, but it still made something sink in my chest. "There’s something I need to sort out with my dad."

"Oh." I tried to keep my face neutral, but it probably didn’t work. "Okay."

"No, don’t go today," Alia begged quickly, rushing to hug his leg.

Dominic sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Awww baby. I didn’t sleep at home last night. My phone’s been blowing up with calls from Diane and my parents." He crouched and hugged her. "I’ll be back soon, okay?"

Then he stepped closer and hugged me, long enough that it felt like an apology and a promise at the same time. "I’ll be back soon, yeah? I’ll text you."

And just like that, he was gone.

The door clicked shut, leaving this weird quiet behind. I checked the clock....8 p.m.

I stood there for a while, staring at nothing.

Then I sat on the couch, scrolled through my phone, opened our chat, closed it again. I tried watching something. Didn’t help. My chest felt tight.

I tried to make my breathing normal. Tried to tell myself it was fine. He had family stuff. He’d come back.

My mind, of course, went the other way.

What’s he even sorting out? Why didn’t he just tell me? I hope everything is okay at home?

I paced once, twice. I poured cereal into a bowl and left it untouched.

Alia already went back to bed.

The apartment felt too empty without him, his bad jokes, him teasing Alia, flirting with me.

After twenty minutes, my phone buzzed.

Got home babe. I love you

I smiled anyway. At least he texted.

I typed back something ridiculous, then set the phone on the nightstand, staring at the ceiling till I dozed off.

The week that followed felt long and heavy.

After the funeral, everything just... slowed down.

Days blurred together after that. Mornings felt heavy, nights felt longer. It was like the world was trying to move on, but my head kept replaying everything in loops.

The air in school felt weird. Everyone was quieter, softer. I kept texting Marcus. Still nothing. No reply, no seen, just silence.

School got sharp around the edges....assessments stacking up, exam prep marathons, the kind of late-night study that left the brain buzzing and the heart empty.

Everyone was stressed, teachers kept snapping more than usual. Even the talent show was canceled.

Between lectures and library sessions I saw Dominic only in passing, those quick hallway smiles and secret kisses that never quite reached the eyes the whole week he’d been gone.

He was always on a call, or slipping off to speak with his parents, which left us as ghosts of the easy closeness we used to be.

He said his parents were home and things were "busy." Whatever that meant.

Once, I passed by the courtyard and heard him on the phone, yelling, "Dad, stop making a big deal about it."

I kept walking, pretending not to hear. I was really worried.

He’d turn 21 this weekend. I’d been planning his gift.... something small, something that’d make him laugh again....

But what could you possibly buy for someone that has almost everything?

I saw Ian leaning against the lockers, talking to June.

Or flirting. Definitely flirting.

He noticed me and waved. "Hey, Ash!"

I walked over. "Hey."

"Dom’s been kinda scarce lately," I said, trying to fake a laugh.

Ian sighed. "Tell me about it, we rarely see him."

"Yeah?" I narrowed my eyes. "He’s been...busy with his dad, actually. He told me." It came out defensive.

Ian shrugged. "Trust me, he’s under a lot of pressure. Dad stuff, business stuff....he’s carrying it." He glanced around like he was making sure no adults were listening in. "He didn’t tell you?"

I frowned. "Tell me what?"

"Hmmm," Ian trailed off. "Relax, nothing bad. We’re throwing him a surprise birthday party this weekend. He doesn’t know. His parents are planning it with us."

"A surprise?" I repeated.

"Yup. Semi-formal though. His dad’s making a big deal about it....said there’d be ’potential business partners’ there." Ian deepened his voice, pretending to mimic Dominic’s dad. "It’ll be good for networking, son."

I couldn’t help it, I laughed. "God, that probably sounds like him."

"Right?" Ian grinned. "So yeah, it’ll be fancy. Come dressed up. And don’t tell him."

"I’ll be there," I said, smiling for real this time.

He nodded. "Cool. Oh, and about the coil stuff, I’ll text you. Found a lead."

June, who had wandered over with a stack of textbooks, looked up, puzzled. "What coil stuff?" she squinted at us.

Ian opened his mouth, and I panicked.

My brain blanked for a sec. Then I forced a grin. "Oh... um. It’s, like, a new movie? Yeah. Like a sci-fi thing. Coils. You know, special effects? I think there’s a trailer. We’ve been meaning to watch it."

"That was smooth, " Ian chuckled.

June’s face lit up. "Oh my god, yeah! We should watch it together."

"Yeah," I said quickly. "Totally."

Ian smirked. "Right. Anyway, I’ll text you."

I rolled my eyes and walked off, June kept telling him about popcorn flavors and showtimes.

I smiled at them, and kept spiraling.

Things had been... different lately.

Child services had stopped showing up. No random visits, no phone calls asking if I was "adjusting well." Just silence. Mrs. Torres even called last week and said, "You don’t need to worry about it anymore, Ash. Everything’s been sorted out."

Sorted out how?

I didn’t ask. I just said thank you. But deep down, I couldn’t shake the question.....was Dominic behind it?

He never mentioned anything, but it felt too convenient. The timing, the way Mrs. Torres suddenly changed her tone. I was glad they were off my back, really. I just hated not knowing why.

Mom was responding to treatment too. Her doctor said she was going to wake up soon.

It should’ve made me feel lighter, but instead I felt... tense. Like waiting for the good thing to fall apart again.

And now, Dominic’s birthday was coming up.

I should’ve been excited, but I was nervous. The kind of nervous that sits in your throat, heavy. Ian’s "semi-formal" warning kept replaying in my head.

What do you even wear to a rich-person party? What do you say to his dad, the same man who keep pressing Dom?

I kept picturing it.... the lights, the crowd, Dominic smiling, and me standing somewhere in the corner, pretending I belonged there.

I opened my messages. Still nothing from The Coil. No updates, no coded messages, nothing.

Had they gone quiet on purpose? Were they waiting for something? Or someone?

The silence made me uneasy as I walked back to the classroom.

The more quiet they were, the more it felt like they were watching.....waiting for me to slip, or make the wrong move.

Every time things got too calm, it made me suspicious. Like something was always about to happen.... like peace was just a setup for chaos.

I rubbed my forehead, and closed my eyes for a second.

"Stop overthinking," I muttered to myself. "Not now."

I took a breath and sat up straighter.

This weekend isn’t about that. It’s about Dominic.

If he’s been drowning under his dad’s pressure, the least I can do is show up, look good, and make him happy for a night.

Just that.

No spiraling, no second-guessing, no Coil drama.

Just him.

Just us.

I wanted his birthday to be a thing of light.

Even if I didn’t know how long that light would last.