Freya stepped into the university building, gripping the small cake box in her hands. She had spent hours baking it, hoping Dominic would appreciate the gesture.
Her eyes scanned the hall until they landed on him. He stood by the noticeboard, his broad shoulders relaxed, his gaze focused on the pinned announcements.
She took a steadying breath. 'Just walk up to him. It's just a thank you.'
Summoning her courage, she approached. "Good morning."
Dominic turned, his deep eyes meeting hers. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Good morning," he replied. "How are you feeling?"
"Great," she said, shifting slightly on her feet. "And, um... I actually baked this for you." She held out the box, her heart beating just a little faster. "...To thank you-for everything. For helping me that night and making sure I got home safely."
Dominic glanced at the cake, then back at her. "You didn't have to," he said, taking the box. "But thank you. I'm sure Elena will love it too."
Freya felt a slight pang in her chest at the mention of his girlfriend, but she forced a smile. 'Of course, Elena'
"Yeah... I hope so," she murmured before turning away.
Dominic watched her walk away, and for a fleeting second, the image of her standing in her room, fresh from the shower, flashed in his mind again.
"Another gift from a fan?"
Elena's voice snapped him back to reality. She walked up to him, her eyes dropping to the cake box in his hands.
"It's from the girl I saved from that warlock at the bar," Dominic said, handing it to her.
Elena lifted the lid and saw the carefully decorated 'Thank You' piped in frosting. "Looks delicious. I can't wait to dig in," she said, grinning.
"Yeah," Dominic murmured before leaning in and pecking her lips.
Lacing their fingers together, he led her away.
Freya, now across the hall, glanced back at the worst possible moment to see Dominic with Elena. The way he held her hand, the way he kissed her, it shouldn't have affected her. But it did. A tightness built in her chest, and she quickly turned away, blinking against the sting in her eyes.
"Did I just see you talking to Dominic?"
Raven's voice cut through her thoughts. Freya turned to find her friend grinning at her.
"Yeah," she admitted. "He saved me at the bar the other night, so I baked him a cake to thank him."
Raven smirked, nudging her shoulder playfully. "That's really sweet of you."
Freya forced a chuckle. "Yeah... I guess so."
Together, they walked toward the lecture hall, but Freya couldn't shake the feeling that something inside her had just shifted.
***
Dominic and Elena strolled into the university garden, the morning sun casting a warm glow over the lush green grass. They spotted their friends lounging nearby, chatting lazily.
Elena nestled against Dominic as they sat down, his arm draping over her shoulder, while she leaned into him as they settled beside their friends.
Jasmine approached, holding up a soda can with a dramatic expression. "You guys won't believe what I found in this soda...,"
"What?" Cameron asked, his head tilting slightly.
"A human toe."
"A what?" Cameron asked, his mouth falling open.
"A human toe," Jasmine repeated, nodding.
Silence. Then-
"A human toe?" Margaret repeated, her face twisting in disgust. "You're telling me there was an actual toe just floating in there?"
"I know, right?" Jasmine shuddered. "I cracked it open, took a sip, and there it was, this tiny little hitchhiker bobbing around like it owned the place."
"Maybe it's a contest," Elena mused. "Like, collect all five and win a prize."
Laughter erupted.
"That's so disgusting," Margaret muttered
"Or maybe Joseph and his idiot friends put it in there, thought it'd be funny to mess with us," Sean chimed in, shaking his head. Being one of the scouts in their pack.
"You can't imagine what happened next," Jasmine continued, dramatically pausing for effect. "I showed it to the stall owner, and they freaked out so bad they gave me three thousand dollars just to keep quiet."
Cameron let out a low whistle. "Okay, now I'm impressed."
"Right? Who knew toes were worth that much?" Jasmine grinned, shaking her soda warily before taking another sip. "Alright, I'm gonna go change, I have a date."
"With Jonas again?" Elena asked, raising a brow. "How's that going?"
Jasmine's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "It's going pretty well. He's nice, and we're having fun."
"When do we get to meet him?" Dominic asked, leaning back on his elbows.
"Yeah," Cameron added. "Bring him around. We need to approve this guy."
Jasmine tilted her head, pretending to think. "Hmm...Let's see... it's Monday..." She grinned. "Never."
"Come on!" they groaned in unison.
"Not after what happened with Derek," she said, crossing her arms.
Sean scoffed. "What are you talking about? We loved Derek! He was daring!"
They burst out laughing.
Jasmine shot him a look, her eyes morphing into her werewolf form for a brief second.
Sean quickly raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry."
Jasmine took a slow breath, calming herself. "I just... I don't know how I feel about Jonas yet. Let me figure it out first."
"Then can we meet him after you figure it out?" Elena smirked.
Jasmine shook her head with a smirk. "Nope. Sorry." She turned and walked away, her laughter mixing with theirs.
"I don't blame her," Dominic said, shaking his head. "You guys do have a habit of grilling her boyfriends."
Elena turned to him. "Oh, come on. You know how they always turn out."
***
Freya drifted into sleep, her head resting on her folded arms at the lecture desk, only to be dragged into another nightmare the moment her eyes closed.
She was back in the same eerie forest, the air thick with smoke, the scent of burning wood clogging her lungs. Shadows stretched long beneath the pale moonlight as she moved forward.
Ahead, the man from the bar, the one who had tried to kill her, stood in a clearing, chanting in a dark, guttural voice that sent chills down her spine.
"Oblivionem Tenebrae, Vita Extingue! Oblivionem Tenebrae, Vita Extingue!"
She took a step closer, staring at the strange glow around him, then suddenly, fire burst from his body. Flames swallowed him up, licking at his skin, yet he didn't scream or try to run. He just kept chanting as if nothing was happening.
Freya's heart pounded. She stumbled back, fear clawing at her chest.
"Freya! Freya! Freya!"