NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Chapter 4
The next morning, I woke up to the sun shining brightly on my face. For a moment, I forget where I am—what's happened—but then reality hits me like a wave. I take a deep breath, trying to mentally prepare myself. All I have to do is play along with this girl's life, right? If I can manage that, maybe I'll figure out what happened to me.
I get out of bed and put on the school uniform laid out for me. It feels strange, almost nostalgic. It's the same uniform I wore back when I was in high school. I look in the mirror, adjusting the skirt and blazer. This girl must be about 18, the same age I was back then. And judging by the year—2008—we might've been in the same grade.
But something about her still doesn't click. She's so beautiful, with long, dark hair and striking features. There's no way I wouldn't have noticed her in school, right? Then again, I wasn't exactly memorable myself—long brown hair, blue eyes, and a few freckles. I wasn't ugly, but I wasn't the kind of girl boys fawned over either.
Ella and I are driven to school by a chauffeur. The cast on my arm still aches, but the doctor assured me it would be off in a week. Thank God. It's been a constant, painful reminder of everything that's happened. Ella glances over at me and smiles.
"How do you think Janet will feel when she sees you?" she asks cheerfully.
Janet? Who's Janet? I try not to let my confusion show and respond casually. "I'm not sure," I say, forcing a smile.
The car pulls up to the school, and as we step out, I take a moment to admire the building. It looks exactly the same as I remember—almost untouched by time. A strange burst of energy courses through me, something I haven't felt in years.
But as I walk inside, I feel the weight of people's stares. Their eyes linger on me, full of curiosity and judgment. I can only imagine what they're thinking. They probably wonder why she did it—why I did it. Truth be told, I'm wondering the same thing.
I glance at my schedule and see "Room 207" listed as my homeroom. My heart skips a beat. That's near my old classroom. The one I had back when I was alive.
Instead of going directly to 207, I run two doors down to Room 205, my old homeroom. My pulse races as I step inside, scanning the room for someone—anyone—who might recognize me.
"Liz!" I call out desperately. "Is Liz here?"
The students stare at me, their faces filled with confusion. A boy sitting near the window raises an eyebrow. "Who's Liz?" he asks. "There's no Liz in this class."
I feel the blood drain from my face. My knees grow weak, and I stumble out of the room, tears welling in my eyes. Do I not exist in this lifetime? Am I just… gone?
And then a horrifying thought strikes me: What about my mom? If I don't exist, does she? Is she gone too? I don't have time to figure it out now. For now, I have to keep pretending.
I walk into Room 207, trying to steady my breathing. The desks are neatly arranged, and each one has a name tag. I find the one that says "Susan" and take my seat. I can feel everyone's eyes on me again, probably wondering why I'd been crying.
Suddenly, a girl rushes over and throws her arms around me. "Oh my God, Susan!" she exclaims. "Do you know how scared I've been? You haven't answered my messages, and I've missed you so much!"
Messages? I vaguely recall someone mentioning Susan had a phone. I must've left it at the house. I glance at the girl's name tag and see "Janet" written in bold letters. So this is Janet—the person Ella was talking about.
"I'm sorry," I mumble awkwardly. "I haven't checked my phone in a while… I've been out of it."
Janet sighs with relief. "I'm just glad you're back."
As class begins, a boy walks in, and my breath catches in my throat. I know him. Noah. Back in high school, he was popular, the kind of guy everyone admired. I used to have a little crush on him, though he never noticed me. He's grown up since then, his features sharper but still soft in a way that feels familiar.
We lock eyes for a brief moment, and my heart skips. His gaze lingers on me, and I feel my stomach flip. I quickly look away, trying to hide the confusion and fear that's written all over my face.
After class, Janet grabs my hand and drags me to lunch. We sit down, and she immediately starts bombarding me with questions I don't know how to answer.
"Have you talked to Jake since the accident?" she asks, biting into an apple.
"Jake?" I echo, trying to stall.
"You know, the guy who's been in love with you forever," she says with a roll of her eyes.
"Oh. No, I… I've been having a hard time. I didn't really want to talk to him," I lie.
"Good," Janet replies, smirking. "He can be a little… weird sometimes."
Her comment makes me uneasy, but I don't push for more details. I'm too distracted, thinking about my mom. I need to find her. If she's still alive, she should be finishing work soon.
The rest of the school day passes in a blur. I try to absorb as much as I can, but it's overwhelming. Nothing feels right.
I catch myself glancing at Noah again during class. He's sitting with his friends, laughing and smiling. The warmth of his expression sparks something in me—a faint glimmer of light in the darkness. But then he notices me staring. Our eyes meet, and he quickly looks away, his cheeks turning red.
What was that about?
After school, I tell Ella I'm going to walk home. "I think I need to stretch my legs a bit," I explain.
She hesitates, clearly concerned. "If something happens, I'll kill you myself," she jokes, finally agreeing.
I laugh, waving her off. But as soon as her car pulls away, I change direction and head toward my old neighborhood.
The sun is setting, and the streets grow darker. My heart pounds as I near my old apartment complex. That's when I see her—a woman walking into the building. My chest tightens. It has to be her.
"Mom!" I call out, my voice trembling.
I start running toward her, but before I can reach her, someone grabs my shoulder from behind.