CHAPTER 25
Mike's mind was still echoing with Emily's words.
"I need time to process this… we shouldn't talk for a while."
That sentence kept looping in his head like a hollow echo that emptied him out. He had heard every step Emily took as she left through the door, and after that, in the silence that remained, he couldn't even hear his own breathing. When her footsteps faded into the hallway, all that was left was an empty house and the dark thoughts clawing inside Mike.
He put a hand on the back of his neck. His fingers pressed into his hairline, and he slowly shook his head side to side.
— "Damn it…"
His voice was hoarse, almost a whisper. His shoulders felt heavier than ever.
— "I told her everything… and this is how it ended."
Even as he tried to stop thinking, the words caught in his throat, and every time he remembered the blank look on Emily's face, his breathing grew shorter.
Hours passed.
The darkness of night leaked through the window as Mike lay in his bed. But sleep didn't come, even when he closed his eyes. Thoughts wouldn't let him go. His mind was full Emily's stare, Vlad's words, Gideon's roar. Eventually, when his exhaustion finally forced his eyes shut, the first light of morning was already tearing through the horizon.
He woke up before the alarm.
Sitting up in bed, his eyelids still felt heavy with fatigue. The pale morning light slipped through the curtain, spilling into the room. He stood up right away. There was a knot stuck in his throat. He muttered to himself:
— "A new day… same mess."
He stepped into the shower. When the warm water hit his shoulders, it loosened the tension in his muscles just a little. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the water flowing. Each drop felt like a faint tone touching his tired soul. Running the water through his hair and over his face, he glanced at himself in the mirror; the eyes were the same, but deep inside them was something entirely different.
He stepped out of the shower. Wrapped a towel around his waist and stood in front of the mirror. For a while, he just stared at his own reflection.
"I don't even know who I am anymore…" he thought.
Then he shook his head, forcing the thoughts aside.
He opened his wardrobe. Picked out a simple black T-shirt and dark jeans, his usual casual look. Over that, he grabbed a light jacket. He had no idea what he would face at school that day, but the possibility of running into Emily was there, lingering in the corner of his mind.
He opened his bag. Slowly placed his books and notebooks inside. For a moment, he just stared into the bag, then zipped it up and slung it over his shoulder. He was trying to come up with a plan for checking on his bike.
"By the end of today, I'll have to call her too…" he thought.
Just then, a honk echoed from outside.
— "Beep! Beep!"
Mike stuck his head out of the window. Parked out front in the gray morning light was that old, but still oddly lively, junkyard car. Behind the wheel was Zack, with his usual carefree but friendly grin.
Zack rolled the window down and waved.
— "Hey Mike!" he shouted. "Come on, man, I came to pick you up!"
Mike stood there for a moment, then slowly moved toward the door. He threw his bag over his shoulder and went downstairs.
When he opened the door, Zack stepped out of the car and spread his arms wide, gesturing proudly to the vehicle.
— "How about this car?!" he said with pride. His voice carried both teasing and genuine excitement.
Mike raised an eyebrow, trying to hide a smile.
— "Are you serious? This… this is really old…"
Zack laughed out loud.
— "Old? Man, this is a 1968 model!" he said, tapping the hood lightly. "You have no idea how hard it was to find this. This is the oldest but the greatest model. And I'm telling you… maybe you're just a little jealous, huh?"
Mike shook his head, a faint smile curling on his lips. Zack's pride was almost contagious—he was clearly thrilled. The car's interior smelled of cigarettes and old leather, but Zack's energy made it feel more valuable than it really was.
As Mike got into the car, he muttered under his breath:
— "It's a total wreck, but… it suits you."
Zack burst into laughter.
— "A wreck? You'll see, man… when this 'wreck' gets you to school and back home, you'll appreciate it."
When Mike sat down, the car started up, its old but strong engine rumbling through the air.
Inside, there was a strange sense of peace. Emily, Vlad, Gideon, the masks… For a fleeting moment, they all felt distant.
Right now, it was just Zack's laughter and the rattling steering wheel of an old car.