I looked around the college campus as I left my advisor’s office. There were so many students on the walking paths, a few riding bikes. They chatted and carried books as they went to class.
Suddenly, I was overwheld by nostalgia. My heart ached for my dorm and my friends.
I turned down a different path and headed to my dorm.
I still had my keys in my backpack. I ran my hand over the brass room number and smiled. This room used to be ho.
I thought about knocking. More than two months had gone by. Maybe Amanda had gotten a new roommate or moved out....
I took a deep breath and let myself in.
Amanda sat, hunched over her desk. She ran her finger along the page of a book, her eyes squinted. Wait, was she studying? Did that an we really were in an alternate reality?
I smiled and giggled.
Amanda paused and looked up. “Sasha!?” She covered her mouth with her hands.
“Surprise!”
Amanda launched across the room and tackled in a hug. I nearly lost my footing. Tears exploded from her eyes.
“You’re okay!”
I laughed and hugged her back. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I missed you, roomie. You look pretty good for soone who’s been in a coma.”
“You knew about that?”
Amanda smiled and nodded. Her face was so warm and friendly. It brought back all our late nights of venting together, all the tis we teased each other about studying and boys.
My heart trembled and my lower lip quivered. Tears welled in my eyes as emotion swelled in my chest.
“Sasha, what’s wrong?” Amanda grabbed my cheeks.
I sniffled, and tears started to fall. “I just... I’m so worried about what’s going to happen to my child.”
I wrapped my arms around my stomach and sighed, tears dripping down my cheeks.
“You’re pregnant?” Amanda gasped. “I didn’t hear about that.”
“It’s kind of complicated....”
“Well, you’re ho now, and I’m here to help. Let make you so tea and get you a comfortable blanket and a fuzzy pillow. You can put your feet up on the couch.”
I sniffled and nodded, happy to relax in a space I felt comfortable in.
Amanda went to my side of the room. She grabbed a blanket off my bed and a pillow. I noticed how everything on my side of the room was exactly where I’d left it. Nothing had been moved or touched.
I filled Amanda in as best I could on so of the things that had happened in my absence.
Amanda draped the blanket over my shoulders and I hugged the pillow tightly. She put on the teapot and sat next to on the couch.
“No one told you were pregnant. Your mom sent so updates on your condition, but no one gave any details. What happened?”
“I don’t know if I can explain it all again, Amanda. It’s so complicated. Lucas and I were on an unexpected adventure and it had so fallout.” I touched my stomach lightly.
The teapot whistled and Amanda left to pour so tea. I cupped the mug in my hands when she returned, the soothing scent of mint washing over .
“You’re talking about your baby, aren’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t need to tell the details, Sasha, but if you want to talk about it....”
I sighed and sipped my tea. “I’ve been trying to keep a brave face through it all. Right now, Lucas and I don’t know where our baby is.”
“Uh....”
I glanced at Amanda and saw the confused look on her face.
“The reason we were in a coma for so long was because the powers my mom always tried to protect from, well, they allowed to transport us both into another reality.”
“Another reality, huh?” Amanda shrugged.
“I know, it sounds crazy.”
“Trust , Sasha, after seeing you and Lucas going from hating each other to being all blissed out on each other, there’s not much that surprises .”
We giggled together and my cheeks burned. I hugged the pillow and tea a little closer.
“When we ca back to this reality and woke up from our comas, the baby was gone, possibly transported to another reality. Now, all I can think of is getting the baby back.”
Amanda reached out and touched my hand. “I don’t bla you. It’s scary to think about.”
I nodded.
“But if there’s anything I’ve learned about you and Lucas, it is that the two of you are too stubborn not to fix this. Neither of you will give up.”
“Thanks, Amanda.”
“So, are you coming back to school?” She gave a hopeful look.
“That’s the plan. I’d like to graduate before the baby is born. You know, if we....”
I bowed my head.
“Well, good! I’ve missed you here. The room is so quiet and boring without you.”
“I’m sorry, Amanda. I didn’t an to worry you or put you through all of that.”
Amanda scoffed and waved off my apology. “You’re awake and you’re okay. That’s all that matters.”
“I just wish I could have sent you a ssage or sothing.”
“Don’t worry about it. Now, I know you and Lucas were getting pretty hot and heavy before you two took off. How is it having him as your mate? Is that a good thing?”
I bit my lower lip, my cheeks flushing again.
“I am more than happy.”
Amanda tilted her head at . “Huh.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. You were so adamant he was a bully.”
“Well, he was. But apparently, he grew up.”
Amanda looked at for a long mont and then we both burst out laughing. I laughed until my side hurt and new tears escaped the corners of my eyes.
“I’m happy that you’re happy,” Amanda said, patting my shoulder.
“Honestly, I never would have gotten through this without him. He’s so strong, fierce, and determined. I know he will always do what is right for .”
“Man, where do I find my own Lucas?”
“Your mate is out there. I’m sure of it.”
“I don’t know. Keep talking like that, and I’m not sure anyone will ever asure up to your gushing about him.”
I rolled my eyes. “Lucas will help set this all right. I trust him, and I know he won’t stop until everything is returned to the way it should be.”
Amanda gave a sigh of longing and shook her head. She cleared away our teacups.
I hugged my pillow a little tighter, my eyes falling to the stack of papers on the coffee table. Absently, I reached for my powers and waved my arm over the papers.
Nothing happened–less than nothing.
My heart sank like a stone and I hugged the pillow to my body, shaking my head.
I didn’t feel anything, not even a twinge of magic. It wasn’t even like in the other reality where sothing was blocking my magic. It just wasn’t there at all. I felt empty inside all over again, for a different reason this ti.
“Sasha, what’s wrong? You look... pale.”
I smiled quickly and laughed as lightly as I could. “I’m fine. I was just trying sothing.”
“Is this about your powers?” Amanda rejoined on the couch.
“I thought I’d test it out.”
“You’ll get your powers back and your baby. I’m sure of it. Now, when are you coming back to school? And you’re coming back to the dorm, right?”
“I’m not sure about the dorm yet. I want to talk to Lucas.”
Amanda frowned.
“At least, I’ll be nearby and we can hang out like old tis, go to the bar and everything.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” she said.
“I should be back to school soon. I t with my advisor earlier and we talked about what courses I need. She even helped get a new work-study program.”
“Yeah, what is it this ti?”
“There are a few old bridges that need to be fixed. They have so weak points, and my advisor said it will be a good way to get structural engineering experience.”
“That’s great.”
I nodded.
“You don’t seem all that happy about it.”
“It’s not nearly as exciting as the Northern Library project.”
Amanda laughed and shook her head. “Okay. But after all the excitent you’ve had over the past couple of months, don’t you think slowing down is a good thing?”
“Well....”
“Admit it,” she said with a laugh. “You’re just bumd that Lucas won’t be your boss anymore. But you know, if you end up living with him, you can still act like he’s your boss. I bet it will be a real turn-on for him.”
“Oh, you are awful!” I pushed her playfully.
We laughed again, and I was happy to laugh with my friend and gush over guys like we did before everything happened. Amanda’s giddiness was contagious, and I felt the weight of everything going on around lift off my shoulders.
“I haven’t talked to Lucas about what he’ll be working on next. I guess that’s sothing he’ll need to work out with King Xander.”
“He could probably request you to be his intern once he has a new project.” Amanda winked at .
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know. That might be a breach of ethics.”
“Since when has that ever stopped you? The two of you got together when you were technically his intern, right?”
I bit my lower lip and looked down. “That’s complicated.”
“Okay, fine, I guess I’ll let you keep those details all to yourself. Now that you have your mate, it’s your job to be my wing-woman the rest of the year.”
“Yeah, sure.”
I sighed and snuggled deeper into the blanket and couch. I thought about what Amanda said. She was right. It would be nice to slow things down for a little while with my new work-study project. Maybe boring wasn’t so bad after everything that had happened.
We sat and talked until the sun went down. I hadn’t told Lucas I was going out after eting with my advisor, and I didn’t want him to worry.
“I should get going.”
“Are you sure, Sasha? This is still your dorm, too. You could stay here.”
“I don’t want Lucas to worry.”
“Alright. I understand.”
She hugged goodbye and I left the dorms. There was a part of that wanted to stay in the dorms with her. It might have helped feel normal again.
I headed to the campus entrance where I could grab a cab back to Lucas’s house. No one else was around. A few cars went by on the streets, but it was mostly quiet.
“Where are all the cabs?” I asked aloud.
“Sasha... is it really you?”
A shiver ran down my spine and I turned to face Donovan. He had a hungry, predatory smile on his face.
I was alone with Donovan on a dark street.
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