Page 45 of Pick Me Up On Tuesdays

Too wide.

Wrong.

There was no smug jock behind that smile. Just teeth. And nothing.

"Uh," I gargled.

Ethan tilted his head.

And blinked.

But his eyelids slid horizontally.

Like a lizard.

Then—he stood.

No, moved.

Sudden. Precise. Like a frame was cropped out and he was teleported forward a step.

A blur.

Too fast.

Too quiet.

And then, he struck.

Chapter 15: The Bunny Prophecy #Clarks Ultimate Betrayal

I jolted awake, my breath hitching, my heart still hammering from the dream.

For a second, I just sat there, clutching my tablet like it was some kind of life raft, my brain struggling to separate reality from whatever the hell just happened in my subconscious. My eyes darted around. No eerie silence. No glowing eyes. No imminent soul-snatching.

Just… the usual mayhem.

Max and the jocks were being loud at the back, probably exchanging brain-cell-deficient jokes. Joy was leaning against the window, looking half-asleep. Shun was scrolling through her phone, unimpressed as ever. Mr. Dax was asleep (his hobby).

And Ethan—

Ethan wasn’t even paying attention to me.

He was turned away, laughing at something Max had said, completely oblivious to the fact that Dream Ethan had just nearly ripped my soul apart.

1,2,3,4—breathe.

I exhaled slowly.Okay. Cool. Everything's fine. Totally fine.

Except—

Ethan must have noticed the way I jolted awake, because he turned, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"You good?" he asked.

I panicked.

And by panicked, I meanI froze.

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