Chapter 12
“Victoria! Get out here!”
People began gathering around, with more and more onlookers turning toward there,
Riley shattered the window and yanked open the driver’s door.
She grabbed Victoria by the hair and dragged her out of the car.
Having failed once, Victoria had forever lost her chance.
As she was pulled from the car, she kept muttering, “Riley, I hate you! I hate you!”
Victoria glared at Riley with vicious eyes until Riley slapped her hard across the face.
Victoria fought back ferociously, and the two women battled with all their strength while confused bystanders didn’t dare
intervene.
Finally, the young man who had saved Riley–after watching long enough to see Victoria pick up a shard of glass from the ground, ready to stab Riley–jumped forward and grabbed Victoria. But he struggled to hold her back as Riley, furious, lunged forward again.
Just as he was about to lose control of the situation, Nathaniel arrived.
Seeing help had come, the young man quickly handed Victoria over to Nathaniel.
He then swiftly turned to grab Riley, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back, laughing despite himself:
“What kind of blood feud is this between you two?”
Riley tossed aside the clump of Victoria’s hair she’d ripped out and spat the metallic taste from her mouth.
After spitting, she seemed to suddenly lose all her strength, letting herself be held by the stranger.
The explosive energy drained from her as she dejectedly said, “I don’t know what grudge she has against me, but she’s my mortal enemy. Didn’t you see her trying to run me over just now?”
The man released his bear hug, changing his hold to support her with one hand at her waist and the other on her arm.
He guided her slowly to sit on the steps of the classroom building.
Noticing her staring intently at the other two people still arguing, he chuckled lightly: “Wild guess–it’s over that guy, right?”
But her answer was unexpected: “It used to be. Now it’s for myself.”
She added, “Thank you. If you hadn’t saved me just now, I’d probably be in the hospital right now.”
Riley touched her legs as she spoke, tears streaming down her face. Between sobs, she said, “I was so scared! It hurts so much! My legs hurt, and my hair, and my hands…”
12:46
I Died, He Cried. Now We’re Stuck in This Toxic Rebirth Loop
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Chapter 12
“Your legs hurt? Did you injure them when you fell? Should we go to the hospital?”
Hearing his question, Riley didn’t answer, just kept repeating that her legs hurt while crying.
The young man stayed with her the whole time.
Finally, when she stopped crying, she looked up and asked why he was still there.
Only then did he grin and extend his hand: “Hi, I’m Theo Sanders. Nice to meet you. Come on, I’m starving–since I’m your life–saver, treating me to dinner isn’t too much to ask, right?”
Riley didn’t react immediately. Tears still lingered at the corners of her eyes, her red nose sniffling.
She stared blankly at his outstretched hand. “Huh?”
“Pfft…” Theo laughed, finding her absolutely adorable in that moment. “What do you mean ‘huh‘? Get up, let’s go eat.”
Riley paused, looking up at him.
He was tall–even at five–foot–seven, Riley had to tilt her head back to see him.
This boy stood against the light, his eyes filled with warm, bright laughter. When he smiled openly, it was like a gentle spring breeze caressing her face.
She heard him say: “So, with this kind of cosmic connection, I’ll be looking out for you from now on.”
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