Chapter 15: The Escape Room
When I finally saw Jake again, he didn’t exactly welcome me with open arms.
He leaned against the wall, hands buried in his black jacket pockets, his eyes coolly sweeping over me before looking away.
Olivia seemed cheerful. “Let’s go! My friend invested over $800,000 in this place. They have dozens of live actors inside. It’s supposed to be amazing.”
Jake scoffed. “Some people get scared watching horror movies and can’t sleep afterward. Make sure you don’t pee your pants in there.”
I glared at him, knowing he was referring to a high school incident.
Back then, my parents had gone on a trip with his parents, so I’d gone to Jake’s house in the evening. I think “A Quiet Place” had just been released, and he’d insisted we watch it together.
I’d been fine during the movie, but that night, every shadow seemed menacing. As I lay awake with my eyes wide open, I became convinced there was a monster watching me from the corner of the room.
After tossing and turning for half the night, I’d finally worked up the courage to knock on Jake’s door. I stood by his bed, my voice small:
“Jake, can I sleep in here with you?”
Jake had startled awake, hurriedly covering his bare chest with the blanket. “What?
Why?”
I’d replied tearfully: “I’m scared… it’s all your fault for making me watch that stupid movie. I told you I didn’t want to.”
His lips had twitched like he wanted to laugh, but seeing my tears, he’d
suppressed it. He sighed and lifted the covers, sliding his long legs, clad in black silk pajama pants, to the side.
“Come on.”
After I’d climbed into bed and wrapped myself in the blanket, he patted me
awkwardly and softened his voice:
“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.
“Tomorrow I’ll take you for ice cream at that new place.”
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“Okay.” I snuggled against him, feeling all my fear melt away in his presence, and fell asleep peacefully.
I still remember waking up the next morning.
Through half–open eyes, I saw Jake propped on one elbow, watching me with a
smile, one corner of his mouth quirked upward.
“Well, look who’s awake. Scaredy–cat.”
Sunlight danced on the boy’s raven–black lashes, catching them every time he blinked, sending my heart fluttering.
That was the first time I realized I had feelings for Jake.
As Olivia had promised, the escape room was seriously impressive. Every detail was immaculate, making it eerily realistic. I clutched Alex’s sleeve with sweaty palms, my heart pounding against my ribs.
Alex held my hand tightly. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
Olivia looked pretty nervous too, pressing herself close to Jake’s side.
Only Jake seemed completely unfazed, hands in his pockets as he strode forward with a dark expression.
The whole way through, I fought to contain my fear, determined not to embarrass myself in front of Jake and Olivia. We were almost at the exit when, entering the final room, disaster struck. While searching for clues, an ice–cold hand suddenly gripped my ankle from under the bed.
In the eerie blue–green light, a blood–covered woman with hair hanging over her face slowly emerged.
A spine–chilling sound effect exploded through the speakers, and a hanged corpse dropped down from above, twisting to face Olivia and me.
Though I knew they were just actors, pure terror shot through me. I couldn’t even
scream, my voice frozen in my throat.
Olivia went pale too. In the confusion, one of us tripped the other, and we both
stumbled backward.
Just as I was about to hit the floor, two pairs of hands reached out from opposite
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sides to catch me.
I instinctively grabbed the closest hand, which pulled me against a chest smelling faintly of mint.
Alex’s concerned voice came from above. “You okay?”
Before I could answer, the lights suddenly came on and the exit door opened.
Time was up.
I glanced to the side and saw Jake with his hands awkwardly extended toward me,
frozen in mid–air.
Ólivia had fallen ungracefully at his feet, staring at his outstretched hands with a
devastated expression.
The atmosphere instantly became more suffocating than it had been in the escape
room.
I quickly tried to smooth things over. “Jake, did you mistake me for Olivia?”
Bút Jake didn’t pick up my cue. He glared darkly at Alex and me, showing no signs of wanting to explain himself.
Alex calmly held his gaze.
Olivia slowly stood up on her own, then turned and left without leaning on Jake
again.
Olivia asked to meet with me privately that night.
Her eyes were red–rimmed, but she maintained her composure–expensive coat, perfect makeup, not a hair out of place.
“Jake and I broke up,” she said, her voice slightly nasal.
I was surprised.
I’d always thought she and Jake were perfect together, and he seemed to
genuinely like her. She was the first girl he’d ever brought home to meet his
parents.
“Because of what happened in the escape room?” I tried to explain. “He probably just got confused.”
Olivia gave a small smile.
