I was pretty surprised by Dexter''s cold shoulder towards Melody today.


    Melody was a ghostly shade of pale, frantically trying to use Dexter as her ticket to high society.


    Looks like her ns went down the drain, huh?


    "Dexter... you already promised me." Melody''s eyes were red and watery as she spoke.


    Dexter remained silent, offering no exnation.


    I struggled to break free from Dexter''s grip, but he wouldn''t let go. "Phoebe, whether you get to


    meet the president of the All-Stars Consortium at tomorrow''s charity g depends on you ying


    ball today."


    He was obviously running out of patience. "Who else in Sea City could take you to the g but


    me?"


    I looked at Dexter. "So, what''s it gonna be? You nning on taking us both? Dream on."


    Dexter''s hand on my wrist tightened. "I''m taking you."


    Melody turned and ran off crying.


    I scoffed. "I''m not exactly dying for it."


    "Do you have any other options?" Dexter asked me.


    To be honest, I didn''t.


    "Alright, Mr. Fitzgerald, take me. What''s your angle?" I eyed Dexter; he wasn''t the type to do


    something for nothing.


    "Don''t give me that attitude. Phoebe..." Dexter pleaded.


    "How should I act towards you, then?"


    "Like before, okay?" Dexter''s voice was filled with desperation.


    "Ha... Please you like before, huh?" Iughed. "Fine, just wait."


    I wrenched my hand away and left him standing there.


    It just goes to show you''ve got to have a backup n in life.


    Têxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter had already burned all his bridges with me.


    ...


    Back in my room.


    I flopped onto the bed and continued to scroll through my parents'' journal.


    "Today, Phoebe fit in with the other kids, so happy."


    "Marking down Phoebe''s first group picture."


    "Phoebe and Howler."


    "Phoebe''s getting clingier with Howler. Howler only listens to her."


    "Some kid deliberately brought a hardcore guard dog and scared Phoebe. Howler got hurt


    protecting her."


    Most of the entries were about me and Howler growing up.


    "Today, Phoebe hid in the orphanage, and her dad couldn''t find her. He almost had a heart attack.


    That little rascal."


    "Phoebe made some friends!"


    It was obvious my parents were thrilled back then.


    In the photos, there''s little me with Colin and Carter, squatting in the bushes on the yground, up


    to who knows what.


    "Phoebe, if a worm gets cut in half, it can grow back. Why can''t people?"


    "When people die, they''re really gone."


    "What about souls? Could they exist in another form? Could we capture them somehow and put


    them back in a body?"


    Suddenly, my head starts pounding again, a voice exploding in my skull.


    Who brought up that topic?


    Was it Colin?


    Someone was banging on the door outside, and it was not for a friendly visit.


    "Foebe! Get out here!" It was Melody.


    Looked like Dexter''s out; he''d never let Melody barge in like this.


    I didn''t feel like dealing with her. Iy in bed with a splitting headache, forcing myself to remember


    something.


    Suddenly, the window stirred, the curtains billowing with the wind.


    Instinctively, I looked up to catch a glimpse of a face peering in, those big innocent eyes filled with


    hurt staring at me.


    "Phoebe..."


    My heart clenches, I jump to my feet as if electrified, rubbing my eyes.


    Was it just my imagination?