The rest of the week passed in a haze of avoidance. Dom went out of her way to steer clear of both Nile and Ash, spending most of her time hiding in the library. Normally, the quiet solace of the stacks helped her focus, but now it felt suffocating. Her thoughts circled endlessly, replaying every interaction, every moment of doubt and frustration.

Her sketchpad lay open on the table in front of her, the latest iteration of the puzzle box staring back at her. Its edges were blurred, the shape incomplete. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to finish it. The solution felt just out of reach, tantalizing and infuriating.

The sound of laughter broke her concentration -a light, melodic laugh that made her skin crawl. She froze, her heart pounding as she recognized the voice. Ash. A deeper, familiar chuckle followed, and Dom’s stomach twisted painfully. Nile.

System Notification:

Emotional Turmoil Amplified!

Effect: +10 Anxiety, -5 Focus.

Without thinking, Dom rose from her seat, her movements slow and deliberate. Her pulse thudded in her ears as she crept through the rows of bookshelves, her footsteps silent on the carpeted floor. She didn’t know why she was doing this -why she felt compelled to see them. It was like scratching at an itch she knew would only make it worse.

She stopped abruptly, her breath catching as she spotted them through a gap in the shelves. Nile and Ash stood close, their bodies angled toward each other. Nile had his arms around her, his face buried in her neck. Ash let out a soft laugh, tilting her head to give him better access.

“That tickles,” she said, her voice playful. She swatted at him lightly, though her actions betrayed no real intention of stopping him. If anything, she leaned closer, her fingers brushing his cheek.

Dom’s chest ached, her emotions a tangled mess of jealousy, anger, and something she couldn’t quite name. Her fingers gripped the edge of the bookshelf, her knuckles white as she fought the urge to barge in and... what? What could she even say?

A soft cough startled her, and she jerked upright, bumping her head against the shelf above. “Ow,” she hissed, reaching up to rub the sore spot.

“Whoa, you okay?” Jacky’s concerned voice broke through Dom’s daze. Her hand landed gently on Dom’s shoulder, steadying her.

Dom nodded quickly, her face flushing with embarrassment. “Yeah. I’m fine. Just... startled.”

“Oh good, you found her,” Nicky’s voice chimed in loudly as she rounded the corner. “Hey, Dom-”

Dom silenced her with a frantic hand over her mouth, her wide eyes conveying the urgency of her shushing. Nicky’s brows shot up in surprise, but she obeyed, her gaze darting curiously toward the shelves.

Dom stepped aside, pointing toward the gap in the books. Jacky leaned in first, her sharp intake of breath loud in the otherwise quiet library. Nicky peeked through as well, her mouth dropping open in disbelief.

“Wha-” Nicky began, but Dom grabbed both of them by the arms, dragging them away before she could finish.

They stumbled out of the aisle, the tension between them palpable. Dom’s heart raced, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her as she led them toward a quieter corner of the library. Her grip on their arms loosened only once they were safely out of earshot from Nile and Ash. Dom released a shaky breath, leaning against a nearby wall as she tried to gather her thoughts.

Jacky was the first to break the silence. “What the actual hell, Dom?” she hissed, her voice a mix of disbelief and outrage. “Was that - was that Nile? And Ash? What are they even doing here? Together?”

“I don’t know,” Dom muttered, running a hand through her hair. “Apparently, making everyone around them miserable.”

Nicky crossed her arms, her brow furrowed in confusion. “I mean, Nile and Ash? Really? Since when is she his type? I thought -” She paused, glancing at Dom with hesitation. “You know, I thought it was always you.”

“Yeah, well,” Dom said bitterly, “apparently I’ve been replaced. Little Miss Perfect swoops in, and suddenly I don’t exist anymore.”

System Notification:

Emotional Turmoil Escalating!

Effect: +15 Irritation, -10 Self-Control.

Suggested Action: Deep Breaths or Revenge Plot (optional).

Dom ignored the notification, her fists clenching at her sides. Jacky stepped closer, her voice softening. “Hey, are you okay? I mean, seeing that... it must have sucked.”

Dom let out a humorless laugh. “Sucked? That’s an understatement. It was like... like someone drove a knife into my chest and twisted it for fun.”

Nicky frowned, her gaze darting back toward the direction they’d come from. “I still don’t get it. Why would Nile fall for someone like her? She’s so -”

“Fake,” Dom finished, her voice sharp. “She’s all shiny smiles and calculated charm, and Nile’s just eating it up like it’s candy.”

Jacky reached out, placing a comforting hand on Dom’s arm. “Look, I know it feels awful right now, but Nile’s smarter than this. He’ll see through her eventually. And when he does, he’ll realize what he’s been missing.”

Dom shook her head, her expression bleak. “What if he doesn’t? What if this is what he wants - someone like her? Perfect, pretty, and completely not me.”

She finished with her hands on her hips.

Jacky nodded in agreement. “Exactly. And anyway, you don’t need him to validate you. You’re Dom freaking DuMonte. You’ve got your own thing going on.”

Their words brought a faint smile to Dom’s lips, though the ache in her chest didn’t ease entirely. “Thanks, guys. I mean it. I just... I just need some time to process all of this.”

Jacky patted her on the shoulder. “Take all the time you need. But if you ever want to vent -or, you know, scheme- just let us know. We’ve got your back.”

Dom chuckled softly, the tension in her shoulders easing just a bit. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

System Notification:

Friendship Boost!

Effect: +10 Resilience, +5 Hope.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Optional Sub-Quest: Confide in Your Allies for Bonus Emotional Recovery.

The three of them lingered in the quiet corner of the library for a moment longer, the weight of the encounter beginning to lift. But deep down, Dom knew the battle wasn’t over. Nile’s infatuation with Ash wasn’t something she could just brush aside, and the sting of being sidelined still burned.

Dom heard Nile’s voice as he and Ash approached -panicking, Dom grabbed Nicky and Jacky’s arms and yanked them around the corner and out a side exit.

As they made their way out of the library together, Dom resolved to focus on the one thing that always gave her a sense of purpose: the puzzle box. If she couldn’t control what was happening with Nile, at least she could work on unlocking the secrets that had haunted her dreams. And maybe -just maybe- that would lead her to -she didn’t know what. But, with that evil bastard haunting her dreams, she hoped it delivered the answers she desperately needed.

The faint sound of laughter echoed behind them, a cruel reminder of what she’d just witnessed. Dom didn’t look back, her jaw set with determination. Whatever came next, she would face it head-on. She always did.

Standing outside the library doors, Dom released her friends’ arms and let out a sharp breath, her body slumping against the cool stone wall. The muted murmur of students passing by felt like static, buzzing faintly at the edges of her awareness. Her hands trembled slightly, and she jammed them into her jacket pockets to keep them steady.

“What was all that about, Dom?” Jacky asked, her voice tinged with both concern and curiosity.

Nicky joined them, leaning against the wall on Dom’s other side. She tilted her head, her expression softer than usual as she spoke in a hushed tone. “Yeah, D’. What happened there?”

Jacky fiddled with the long strand of hair she always kept loose in front, the rest of her dark locks swept back in her signature wild, athletic style. The small movement was as much a nervous tic as it was a signal of her barely contained energy. Nicky, ever the contrast, ran a hand over her ultra-short pixie cut, her movements deliberate and steady as if grounding herself before jumping into action.

“Are you okay, D’?” Jacky asked, just as Nile and Ash exited the library. Nicky and Jacky jumped to flatten themselves against the wall beside Dom, and the three of them silently watched the happy couple go.

Dom crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the distance where they had disappeared to, as if willing herself to erase the memory of what she’d just seen. Then, her shoulders sagged slightly as she nodded in response to Nicky’s question, before shaking her head no -the motions small and resigned. She was trying so hard to not let the tears of frustration fall.

“Oh, wow,” Jacky said, her voice softening. “You look like someone just stomped on your favorite pair of boots. I’m sorry, D’. That bites.”

Nicky, never one to leave emotions unaddressed, turned and wrapped her arms around Dom in a firm hug. Her voice was low but fierce as she whispered, “Yeah, hon’. Totes. That bitch.”

Dom couldn’t help but huff a faint, bitter laugh at the venom in Nicky’s tone. Her friends weren’t ones to mince words, and for once, she appreciated their bluntness. Jacky and Nicky shared a look -one of those silent, conspiratorial exchanges that only years of friendship could produce. Without a word, Jacky leaned in, her arms joining Nicky’s as they enveloped Dom in a protective embrace.

“We’ve got you,” Jacky murmured, her voice steady and warm. “Ash doesn’t know who she’s messing with.”

The comforting weight of their arms around her eased some of the tension coiled in Dom’s chest, but it didn’t erase the ache entirely. She leaned into their support for a moment before straightening, giving them each a faint smile.

“Thanks, guys,” she said quietly, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her.

Jacky, never one to let a slight go unchallenged, straightened as well, her hands moving to her hips. “So, what’s the plan? You know we can make her life miserable, right? She won’t know what hit her.”

Nicky smirked, already brainstorming. “Yeah. You don’t mess with the friends of the most popular girls in school. It’s, like, an unwritten rule. We’ll handle this, D’. Just say the word.”

Dom shook her head, though she couldn’t help the faint twitch of her lips at their enthusiasm. “No need to go nuclear -yet. Let’s just... see how things play out. Besides,” she added, a hint of steel creeping into her tone, “I can handle her.”

System Notification:

Quest Updated: Social Maneuvering (Active)

Objective: Resist the urge to retaliate against Ash (for now).

Reward: +10 Patience, +5 Inner Strength.

Optional Sub-Objective: Gather Intel on Ash.

Reward: Increased Insight.

Nicky quirked an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by Dom’s restraint. “If you’re sure. But seriously, D’. If she pushes you too far, you better let us step in. Nobody disrespects our girl like that.”

Dom chuckled softly, the warmth of their loyalty cutting through some of the bitterness in her chest. “Noted. I’ll keep you posted.”

The three of them lingered outside the library for a few moments longer, their conversation shifting to lighter topics as students continued to pass by. When the next bell rang, Dom left them to their half-serious plotting and headed to her next class.

By the end of the day, Dom was at her limit. Every hallway, every corner, every conversation seemed to revolve around Ash and Nile. The whispers were constant, like a swarm of gnats buzzing in her ears.

“Did you see the new girl? She’s gorgeous!”

“I heard her dad’s some kind of big deal. Like, super-rich.”

“Did you know they moved into that mansion on Oak Knoll?”

“Nile’s so lucky. They make the perfect couple.”

“Everyone’s calling them ‘Nash’ now. Isn’t that cute?”

Dom’s grip on her books tightened, her knuckles whitening as she fought the urge to scream. By the time lunch rolled around, her patience was hanging by a thread.

She sat at her usual table, picking at her food with little interest. Across the cafeteria, Nile and Ash sat together, surrounded by a small crowd of admirers. Ash laughed at something Nile said, her hand resting lightly on his arm as if staking her claim. The sight made Dom’s stomach churn.

When one of the guys at her table leaned over and casually referred to them as “Nash,” Dom’s control snapped. She slammed her tray down, the sound drawing startled looks from everyone nearby.

“Seriously?” she snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. “They already have a couple name? Are we in middle school now?”

The guy raised his hands in mock surrender, his expression equal parts sheepish and amused. “Whoa, chill, Dom. Didn’t mean anything by it.”

Dom glared at him for a moment longer before shoving her tray aside and storming out of the cafeteria. Her chest heaved as she pushed through the double doors, the cool air of the hallway doing little to calm her racing heart.

System Notification:

Emotional Turmoil Overload!

Effect: +15 Anger, -10 Patience.

Recommendation: Deep Breathing or Channeling Rage into Productive Outlets.

She ignored the message, her footsteps echoing down the empty hall as she made her way toward the school courtyard. The fresh air hit her like a slap to the face, sharp and bracing. She leaned against a nearby bench, her fingers digging into the wood as she fought to steady her breathing.

The ache in her chest flared again, raw and relentless. She hated feeling like this -like she was powerless, like she’d been shoved to the sidelines of her own story. Nile had been her person, her constant, and now he was slipping away, lured by the perfect shine of someone else.

Dom clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She wouldn’t cry. She refused to let Ash -or anyone- see her like that.

Jacky and Nicky found her a few minutes later, their expressions a mix of concern and determination. Jacky crouched in front of her, resting a hand on her knee. “You okay?”

Dom nodded, though the gesture felt hollow. “Yeah. Just... needed some air.”

Nicky sat beside her, crossing her legs with a sigh. “Look, D’. I know you don’t want us to go full Mean Girls on Ash, but you can’t keep bottling this up. It’s not healthy.”

Jacky nodded in agreement. “She’s right. You’re allowed to feel pissed off. Hell, you’re allowed to scream, cry, or punch something if it helps.”

System Notification:

Support Network Engaged!

Effect: +10 Resilience, +5 Clarity.

Optional Sub-Quest: Confide in Your Friends for Emotional Stability.

Reward: Increased Calmness.

Dom managed a weak smile, her friends’ support easing some of the tension in her chest. “Thanks, guys. I mean it. I just... I don’t know how to deal with this. I feel like everything’s spiraling out of control.”

Jacky squeezed her knee, her voice firm. “You’re stronger than you think, D’. And no matter what happens, we’ve got your back.”

Nicky nodded, her expression serious. “Yeah. And if you ever decide you do want to take Ash down a peg, just say the word. We’ll make it happen.”

Dom laughed softly, the sound shaky but genuine. “I’ll think about it.”