Chapter 146 Not in this world

Chapter 146 Not in this world
Students trooped out of the exam hall, some with their faces fallen as though they had done terribly, and others with huge smiles on their faces like the exam was a breeze.

And there were some who looked neutral, apathetic towards the entire thing, like they had been forced to write it in the first place and now it was done.

It was done.

There was only one more thing keeping them in high school, and that was graduation.

But they technically didn't have to be in school.

Some let out a loud roar as they left their classes, throwing their pencils and books in the air.

Irene chuckled as she left her class, watching as her classmates cheered, while some cried.

It was finally over.

The exams she had been reading so much for were done.

After Nelson comforted her in the females' bathroom, Victoria came to call them that the exams were about to start and they had to go to their respective classes.

Irene's mind was calmer, although her hands still trembled in fear of the unknown. But after seeing the questions, she could finally let out a sigh of relief.

It wasn't that bad.

She was out and fine.

Irene walked towards the field with only one name in mind.

He wasn't in the same hall with her. She could only hope that he was out already.

Before she could search for him, a familiar face came into view.

"Hey, Irene." Miles called, waving his hand as he jogged towards her.

Irene blinked, her lips hooking upwards to form a wry smile.

"Hi."

She waved her hand, her movement uncertain.

She hadn't really spoken to Miles since prom. Sure, they spoke this morning, but it was the four of them, so it was less awkward.

Now, with just the both of them, she wasn't sure of what to say.

"How were the exams?" Miles asked as he got towards her, letting out a huge sigh before shaking his head, his long hair, which was left untied, swaying as well.

"My take... It was terrifying."

He spoke first, breaking the awkward atmosphere between them.

"I spent the last two weeks studying. It wasn't that bad," Irene answered as she began walking, with Miles right beside her.

She looked towards the field again.

No sign of Nelson.

He wasn't there. She was certain, because if he was... he would have run towards her by now.

Irene thought for a moment before remembering the last person in the four-person group.

"Where is Victoria?" She asked, turning slightly to face Miles. "As soon as the exam was over, she just disappeared."

That was another person she didn't see.

Miles nodded, his expression turning serious.

"I saw her getting into her dad's car a while ago," he answered, then muttered the remaining words. "She didn't even look at me."

Irene frowned.

"But her parents never come to pick her up."

They said she had to be independent or something. Irene couldn't remember the reason, but they refused her taking a car, driving a car, or being driven.

She either walked or took a taxi... Mostly walked.

Although Irene didn't have a car as well, it was for a different reason.

But she had a license. Victoria didn't.

"Exactly." Miles snapped his hands as though he wanted to say 'bingo!'

Victoria hadn't spoken to him since prom. She never left her house, and every time he called, she would pick up and say that she was busy.

He felt like their relationship was getting worse.

But after seeing her this morning, seeing the smile on her face, he realized that maybe he just needed to give her time.

He let out a small sigh before looking up at Irene, who stared into space as though she was deep in thought.

He tapped her shoulder gently, which made her look at him.

"Are you worried for her?" He asked, raising a brow.

If Irene was worried, then he had to be worried.

But Irene just shook her head.

"No." She answered, a loud breath leaving her nostrils. "I'm worried for her parents," she explained. "After everything she's been through and almost dying, I doubt she would allow herself to be controlled by them anymore."

Irene could tell from the way Tori spoke that she was fed up.

In her words, life was short.

She wouldn't allow them to control her anymore. She was going to break free.

The only problem with that was, the Rogers weren't an easy family to disobey. Even as their daughter.

She had a long fight ahead of her.

Miles nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of control..." He snapped his hands again, changing the topic. "It was all a bloody ruse!"

Oh, yeah.

Irene had forgotten about that.

She almost chuckled at Miles' reaction. He seemed genuinely shocked.

"I should have known that Nelson wouldn't just like you. He had had his eyes on you for, like, forever."

Irene lowered her head, a wave of shyness washing over her. Her cheeks were painted in a bright shade of pink.

She knew Nelson liked her, but hearing it from someone else just made her feel... different.

It gave her butterflies.

Nelson told Miles the truth the next day, and he was overwhelmed when he found out.

Victoria had literally lied to him that day at prom, yelling that she was in love with Nelson while it was all a bloody ruse.

He wanted to rush to her house and confess again. The only problem was that he was certain she wouldn't see him.

Miles didn't notice the way Irene blushed and just kept on speaking.

"He likes you so much that he considered changing the applications you submitted to study music at..."

He paused, suddenly realizing where he had been going with the conversation.

He had accidentally said too much.

His eyes widened, and he looked down.

"Fuck."

He had gotten distracted and blabbed. Something he promised Nelson he would never say.

His hand flew to his neck, scratching it while taking a step back.

"Em..."

Irene smiled.

So Nelson still wanted to do that?

"It's alright," she replied, pressing her lips into a line. "I know."

"What?"

How was that possible?

"You what?" Miles asked, his tone surprised. Nelson had literally made him promise not to ever tell her. He had made the plan just a few months ago.

"He told you?"

Irene nodded.

Well, he did.

Just...

"Not here," she answered, turning to look at the sky. "Not in this world."

Nelson had revealed the truth to her in her... 'vision.'

It seemed like some things were going according to plan.

"How do you do it?" Miles suddenly asked.

His question caught Irene off guard. She returned her attention to Miles.

"Huh?"

"How did you know about... everything?" He shrugged.

He at first, just like Tori, thought that Irene was just saying nonsense, but now that he had witnessed how everything she said came true, he couldn't help but ask.

"How did you see the future? Did you, like, travel back in time or..."

"I don't know either." Irene shook her head. "Sometimes I still wonder whether it's the future or not, you know."

It was things like Nelson changing her college application that made it still feel like the future, but now that she knew it, would it still happen?

The killer was down for now, so it couldn't all be the same.

"The truth is that I didn't see the future. It was like I just woke up and seven years had passed, and my entire life was something else," she confessed. "The only thing I know I'm doing differently for sure is that I'm telling others about it."

In the future she saw, they really thought she was crazy regarding every small thing.

But now, they believed her.

In the future, Nelson didn't know about the killer, and she had to rely on Lawrence for help, but now he was aware.

She wasn't hiding anything anymore, and she wouldn't.

"So..." Miles began as they continued walking.

He went quiet for a few seconds before asking.

"What did you see about me?"

"Hm..." Irene chuckled, the serious atmosphere becoming playful again. "I don't think I'm supposed to tell."

"Come on now." Miles urged. "Really, though, seven years is a long time."

Irene paused to think for a second before giving up.

A sigh left her lips, and she stopped walking.

"What do you want to know?"

Miles almost jumped as he stopped walking. Then he pointed at himself before joining his two pointing fingers together.

"Me and Victoria," he said, his voice turning sad. "Right now, she still hasn't spoken to me, like, really spoken to me. And... I don't know. I've confessed how I feel about her, but..."

Irene rolled her eyes.

"She likes you too."

Obviously.

"I know that," Miles replied, pressing his lips together. "I'm not blind. It's just... Do we ever get together?"

"In the future I saw..." Irene let out a loud sigh before giving Miles an answer.

"Yes."

The dude balled his fingers into a fist and smiled.

"Yes!"

"But..." Irene interjected, cutting off Miles' celebration. "In that future, a gun was never pointed at her."

Almost immediately, the happiness he felt washed away.

"Oh..."