Chapter 2
A notification from MicroPost suddenly popped up at the top of my screen.
Sophie was a moderately well-known travel blogger who posted regular updates from her trips.
She posted a nine-photo collage.
The collage featured photos of the two of them at the beach.
Lucas tilted his shoulder slightly, shielding Sophie from the sea breeze.
Sophie held a cold drink garnished with a lemon slice. Her smile was radiant.
The comments section was already flooded with fans.
[Sophie, are you finally making it official? The guy next to you looks incredible in profile.]
[That height difference is perfect. The two of you are exactly my ideal couple.]
Sophie replied with a shy, face-covering emoji.
Then Lucas's account popped up in the comments.
[Don't wander off. You're not familiar with this area; you might get lost.]
Sophie replied instantly: [If I get lost, you will always find me. I have nothing to fear.]
I stared at the screen, my fingers twitching involuntarily.
I opened Sophie's MicroPost profile and scrolled down through her posts.
The timeline went back to last Luminara Eve.
Lucas said he had to work overtime at the office all night for the year-end audit.
I stayed alone in my rental apartment, cooking frozen potstickers and watching the Luminara countdown on television.
Meanwhile, Sophie's post from that day featured dazzling riverside fireworks, her hand clasped tightly in Lucas's.
The caption read: [With the coming of Luminara, I still have the most reliable person with me.]
On Valentine's Day this year, Lucas gave me a starry sky projector.
He said he had it custom-made for me, but I never cared much for starry skies.
Six months prior, Sophie had posted a photo of the same projector on her profile.
She wrote: [He always knows what I want.]
I closed my eyes, a metallic taste rising in my throat.
I lifted my wrist and touched the silver bracelet with a GPS tracker.
When Lucas put it on me, he said it would let him always know my location and find me at any time.
I yanked the clasp open and tossed the bracelet into the trash.
Three days later, the bandage on my ankle was changed, but it still hurt a little when I walked.
Mom visited an agency to inquire about fast-tracking my study abroad application.
Lucas had a spare key to my place, so he walked in, holding a beautifully wrapped cake.
Lucas asked, "Your fever's gone?"
I replied, "Yeah, it's gone."
He set the cake down on the coffee table and, out of habit, reached to touch my hair.
"Your mom was anxious because she cares about you. I have already apologized to her."
I turned my head away, and he let out a resigned sigh.
"Still upset?"
"No."
I wasn't into sweets. Sophie was the one who loved cake.
"Go change clothes. I'm taking you out."
"Where are we going?"
"There's a new immersive escape room over in Southgate District. Sophie wants to check it out, and you're coming with us."
"I'm not going."
His voice turned icy, and he dragged me out the door, ignoring my protests.
Lucas said, "Sophie saved you a ticket, so you two could patch things up. If you don't go, who will want to take you anywhere ever again?"
When we got to the escape room lobby, Sophie was already waiting for us.
As soon as she saw me, she rushed over, trying to link arms with me.
She exclaimed, "I missed you so much. You were not there on the trip, and I had no one to spend time with. Lucas is no fun; he does not count as company."
Lucas stepped in front of me and said, "She has an injured foot, so don't jostle her."
Sophie stuck out her tongue and said, "Alright. Lucas, you always dote on Anna."
Lucas replied, "Of course. Who else would I dote on if not my girlfriend?"
The staff handed out blindfolds, and we all put them on, getting ready to head into the room.
I stood at the back, my hand resting on Lucas's shoulder.
With the blindfold on, I could tell he was holding Sophie's hand, guiding her forward.
"Watch your step, there's a step up ahead," he said softly, clearly speaking to Sophie in front of me.
I stumbled and almost fell, but he didn't glance back once.