The world outside the hospital was a muted blur as Dom stepped onto the pavement, the cool air biting against her skin. Her mind was still reeling from the confrontation with Kylie and the weight of seeing Nile so torn apart. The gray clouds overhead mirrored the heaviness in her chest, and she wrapped her arms around herself as if to ward off the chill seeping into her bones.

As she walked toward her bike, parked under the skeletal branches of a barren tree, her thoughts churned like storm-tossed waves. The hospital had left her feeling hollow, her usual defenses stripped away by the sheer weight of everything that had happened. Nile’s pain, Kylie’s accusations, and the lingering image of his father lying comatose - it all pressed against her like a leaden shroud.

System Notification:

Emotional Overload Detected.

Effect: -10 Resilience, +20 Guilt.

Suggested Action: Reflect or Distract Yourself (optional).

Dom ignored the flashing text in her peripheral vision, though her lips twitched in a humorless smirk. Even the system was calling her out now. Great.

She revved the engine of her bike, the familiar rumble vibrating through her fingers as she gripped the handlebars. The sound was a welcome distraction, drowning out the echoes of Kylie’s voice in her head. Still, as she sped through the empty streets, the memories clung to her like shadows.

Back home, the silence was deafening.

Peanut padded faithfully to her side, his presence a small comfort in the otherwise somber afternoon. He nuzzled her leg, and she crouched down to scratch behind his ears. “Well, boy,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, “looks like it’s just you and me for a while.”

Dom set her helmet on the counter and let Peanut scamper off to join the other animals in the backyard. The soft pitter-patter of paws on the hardwood floor faded, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Her father, Jacque, was sitting at the kitchen table, his ever-present mug of coffee in hand as he thumbed through a tattered book on mythology. He looked up when she walked in, his expression softening with concern.

“You’re home earlier than I expected,” he said, closing the book. “Everything okay?”

Dom hesitated, leaning against the doorframe. She hadn’t planned on talking about it - not yet, anyway. But the worry in her father’s eyes was hard to ignore. “It’s... a lot,” she admitted, her voice low. “There’s been no change.”

Jacque’s face darkened, and he set the mug down with a soft clink. “I’m sorry to hear that. How’s Nile holding up?”

“He’s... trying,” Dom said, though the words felt inadequate. “He’s dealing with a lot. And his sister... Kylie showed up.”

At the mention of Kylie, Jacque raised an eyebrow. “Ah. I see.”

“She wasn’t exactly happy to see me,” Dom added, a bitter edge creeping into her voice. “Blamed me for what happened to their parents. Like I had anything to do with it.”

Jacque’s brow furrowed, and he stood, crossing the room to place a steadying hand on her shoulder. “People say things they don’t mean when they’re grieving,” he said gently. “Doesn’t make it right, but it’s not about you, Dom. It’s about the pain they’re in.”

Dom exhaled slowly, nodding. “I know. It’s just... hard. Seeing Nile like that, dealing with Kylie’s crap on top of it -it’s a lot.”

Jacque gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You’re strong, Dom. Stronger than you give yourself credit for. Like your mother. And Nile’s lucky to have you in his corner, even if he doesn’t always realize it.”

Dom offered a faint smile, though the ache in her chest remained. “Thanks, Dad.”

As the evening stretched on, Dom tried to lose herself in her sketches, but the lines on the page refused to come together. The puzzle box loomed in her mind, its shape elusive and unfinished, just like everything else in her life. Every time she tried to focus, her thoughts drifted back to Nile - and to the way Kylie’s words had cut her deeper than she cared to admit.

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System Notification:

Distraction Ineffective.

Effect: -5 Concentration, +10 Frustration.

Recommendation: Physical Activity or Direct Confrontation.

Dom groaned, tossing the sketchpad aside. “Yeah, thanks for the insight, genius,” she muttered to the empty room.

Peanut trotted in, his tail wagging as if sensing her turmoil. She ruffled his wiry fur absently, drawing comfort from his steady presence. “What do you think, boy? Should I just take a break from everything? Maybe run away to a cabin in the woods and become a hermit?”

Peanut whuffed in response, tilting his head as if to say, Not a chance.

The next several days blurred together in a haze of routine and restlessness. Dom felt the weight of Nile’s absence more acutely with each passing hour. He had stopped coming to the hospital entirely, leaving Kylie to take over. The thought alone was enough to send a fresh wave of frustration and sadness crashing over her. She hadn’t seen him in days, hadn’t heard his voice since their last conversation at her door. Every call went unanswered, every message left on read.

Dom spent most of her time either at home or at the Lost and Found, her favorite sanctuary when life became too much. But even the comforting hum of indie music and the aroma of fresh coffee couldn’t pull her out of the spiral. She avoided the school crowd, dreading the whispers and side glances that seemed to follow her everywhere lately. Jacky and Nicky checked in often, their concern clear in their eyes and voices, but even their usual antics couldn’t completely lift the fog clouding Dom’s thoughts.

Each night, she found herself staring at her phone, willing Nile to respond. The silence was deafening, and her mind raced with a hundred possible reasons for his sudden withdrawal. Was it because Kylie was back? Had she gotten into his head? Or was it something else entirely?

Peanut nudged her hand one evening as she sat curled up on the couch, her sketchpad untouched beside her. She scratched behind his ears absentmindedly, her gaze distant. “What do you think, boy?” she murmured. “Did I do something wrong? Is he... okay?”

Peanut whuffed softly, his tail wagging once before he settled his head on her lap. The gesture brought a small, bittersweet smile to Dom’s lips, but the ache in her chest remained.

By the time the weekend rolled around, Dom felt like she was trapped in a loop, her emotions simmering just below the surface. She replayed every interaction she’d had with Nile over the past weeks, searching for some clue, some moment where things had gone wrong. But no matter how much she analyzed it, she couldn’t make sense of his sudden distance.

On Saturday afternoon, she found herself at the Lost and Found again, sitting in her usual corner table. Her sketchpad lay open in front of her, but instead of her usual detailed drawings, the page was filled with restless, unfinished lines. The image of the puzzle box swirled in her mind, its edges as hazy and incomplete as her thoughts. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t focus long enough to capture its form.

System Notification:

Emotional Distraction Detected.

Effect: -5 Concentration, +10 Frustration.

Recommendation: Find a Focus or Seek Emotional Resolution.

Dom let out a sharp sigh, slamming the sketchpad shut. The notification’s tone felt almost mocking, and she muttered under her breath, “Yeah, thanks for that, genius.”

A familiar voice broke through her thoughts, drawing her attention to the counter. Kylie was there, chatting with the barista, her laugh light and carefree as though she didn’t have a care in the world. Dom’s jaw tightened, her fingers curling into fists beneath the table. She had half a mind to march over and demand answers, but she held herself back, the tension coiling tightly in her chest.

Instead, she gathered her things and left, the cold air outside biting against her cheeks as she made her way back home. The walk did little to calm her, her thoughts still circling like vultures around Nile’s silence. By the time she reached her front door, her frustration had shifted into a dull, aching sadness.

On Sunday night, Dom lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the faint glow of the streetlights filtering through her curtains. Her phone sat on the nightstand beside her, dark and silent. She thought about calling him again, but the fear of hearing nothing on the other end held her back.

“I can’t keep doing this,” she whispered to the empty room. The words felt like an admission of defeat, but they also carried a hint of resolve.

She made a silent promise to herself that night. If Nile wanted space, she would give it to him. But she wouldn’t let Kylie’s return -or her own doubts- tear her down. She had to move forward, even if it felt like walking through quicksand.

System Notification:

New Personal Quest Unlocked: Reclaim Your Strength.

Objective: Face your emotions head-on and take back control of your life.

Reward: +XP, Increased Confidence.

Monday morning dawned gray and overcast, the sky heavy with the threat of rain. Dom stood in front of her mirror, adjusting her jacket and running a hand through her dark, wavy hair. Her reflection stared back at her, and for a moment, she hesitated. The faint shadows under her eyes and the tension in her jaw were reminders of the week she’d had. She traced a finger over her necklace, a small pendant her mother had given her years ago. It felt grounding, a small reminder of who she was beneath the chaos.

Her gaze shifted to her backpack, leaning against the doorframe, and she squared her shoulders. “This is my life,” she said quietly, her voice steady. “And no one -not Kylie, not anyone- gets to take it from me.”

With that, she grabbed her things, and headed out the door. The crisp morning air hit her like a wake-up call, and as she walked to school, a flicker of determination burned in her chest. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get her through the day.

For now, that was all she needed.