Chapter 23: To Do With it
Naomi knew she had never felt like this before—a desire for more, despite knowing it was wrong. The emotions swirled within her, a chaotic blend of excitement and apprehension that left her heart racing. Her eyes widened, and she took a breath, trying to steady herself.
"Stop." Just like that, Zylan halted. He was surprised at himself, too, not expecting to obey so quickly. He pulled away, standing up and walking toward the door.
Naomi remained still, unsure of what had just happened. All she did was tell him to stop, and he just left. But she needed to be happy, right? At least she was free, right?
As he gently closed the door behind him, Naomi couldn’t help but find it strange. She had expected him to leap through the window, as he normally did. A part of her still doubted that anyone could survive a fall from there.
The memory of his presence lingered in the room like a ghost, making her heart flutter and her stomach churn with unease. She sighed and settled into bed, the sensation of Zylan’s lips on her neck lingering, leaving her heart still racing. How could something so simple feel so intense? She turned over in bed, willing herself to sleep, but the night felt longer than usual.
***
Naomi stood in front of the mirror as the hairstylist worked her magic. Today was the day she was supposed to wed Zylan. The anticipation buzzed around her like electricity, but it was a chaotic storm of feelings. After that night, she hadn’t seen Zylan, and now, here she was, preparing for her wedding. She should have felt relieved, but part of her was conflicted. At least she didn’t have to face Zylan; she often wondered how she would manage that.
Amidst her thoughts about Zylan, another concern weighed heavily on her mind. She couldn’t stop thinking about what might have happened if she hadn’t stopped him that night. Would everything have changed? The uncertainty gnawed at her.
She was also deeply worried about her best friend, Rose. Rose hadn’t been calling, and despite Naomi’s countless attempts to reach her, there had been no response. It was unlike Rose to ignore her calls, and to make matters worse, she had barely been online on Hellogram and hadn’t posted much lately. Naomi’s worry grew to the point where she no longer cared about their escape plan for tonight.