Another world

Chloe woke up to the jarring sound of her alarm clock, a noise that felt like a hammer pounding in her skull. She wished it were less grating, but she knew that anything gentler wouldn’t be enough to drag her out of bed. It was Monday, and that meant she needed to get ready for school—her top priority, especially today. She’d spent the entire weekend working on a biology project, and today was the day she had to turn it in. She was determined to get an excellent grade, no matter what.

She quickly got up, showered, and dressed. Clothes were never something she obsessed over, but she still managed to put together an outfit that was both comfortable and flattering. Opting for casual jeans and a sweatshirt, she prioritized comfort and confidence over anything too flashy or uncomfortable. Once dressed, she headed to the kitchen, where the sounds of her parents' laughter drifted up the stairs, warming her heart.

“Darling, you’re early today!” her mom exclaimed as Chloe entered the kitchen.

“Today’s an important day! I have to turn in my biology project,” Chloe replied, her voice tinged with both determination and a hint of nerves.

“You always try so hard, and you’ll get your reward for it,” her dad chimed in, continuing the conversation.

Her parents were always supportive, and it was their encouragement that kept Chloe going, even when things got tough. Her mom worked as a teacher at the same school Chloe attended, so they left for school together after breakfast. It was convenient, but it also came with its challenges. Some of her classmates assumed that Chloe’s good grades were a result of her mother’s influence, which only pushed Chloe to work even harder to prove them wrong.

When they arrived at school, Chloe immediately headed to her locker, where she usually met up with her friends. She was early, so she decided to prepare for her first lesson. As she rummaged through her locker, searching for her textbook, someone suddenly covered her eyes from behind.

“Lily?” Chloe asked, expecting to hear her best friend’s laughter. But there was no answer.

Curiosity piqued, Chloe guessed again. “Greg?”

“No, it’s me,” came a rough, slightly irritable voice from behind her.

Chloe turned, surprised to see her boyfriend, Nick, standing there. He was usually late, so seeing him this early was unexpected. She smiled, ready to greet him with a hug, but before she could, Nick turned and walked away without a word, leaving Chloe standing there, bewildered.

Lily and Greg appeared from nowhere, immediately noticing something was off. “What was that, Chloe?” Greg asked, skipping the usual pleasantries.

“Oh, hi guys. Everything’s okay, what’s wrong?” Chloe tried to sound casual, brushing off the weird encounter.

“Don’t be a fool! You’re not yourself,” Lily said with a concerned frown.

Chloe wanted to understand what had just happened with Nick, but she didn’t want to escalate the situation. Instead, she forced a smile and dragged her friends to class. The first lesson was History, but Chloe couldn’t focus. Her mind kept drifting back to Nick, trying to figure out why he had just walked away without even saying hello. Throughout the lesson, she struggled to concentrate on the teacher’s words, which were delivered in a monotone that did little to hold her attention.

But the next lesson was Biology, and Chloe knew she needed to pull herself together. She had worked too hard on her project to let anything distract her now. She pushed thoughts of Nick aside and focused on the task at hand. Graduation was approaching fast, and she needed good grades to get into the college she wanted, not just the one she could get into. After History, Chloe and her friends stepped outside for a break. The warm spring air was a welcome relief, and she took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind.

“Chloe, are you and Nick okay?” Lily asked, her concern evident.

“Yes, why?” Chloe replied, though she knew Lily wouldn’t be easily convinced.

“I’m worried about you. He’s been acting strangely, and I don’t know what’s going on, but you’ve been smiling less and less around him. Remember your last relationship? It wasn’t good for you, and I don’t want to see you hurt again.”

Greg, who was standing nearby, nodded in agreement. Lily was a great friend—always there for Chloe, supportive and protective—but sometimes she could be a bit too protective.

“Lily, it’s okay, really. Nick’s not like my previous boyfriends. He won’t hurt me, I promise,” Chloe assured her, though a tiny voice in the back of her mind wasn’t so sure.

“I hope you’re right,” Lily said, still looking worried.

“Then why were you so distracted in History? You spent the whole lesson staring out the window. That’s not like you,” Greg pointed out.

“How can I not be thoughtful? I’m worried about the biology project that I’m about to turn in,” Chloe lied. Although it wasn’t entirely untrue, she didn’t want to admit that Nick’s behavior had upset her.

“It’s time,” Lily said, bringing the conversation to a close as they headed to Biology.

Despite her worries from earlier, Chloe managed to turn in her project without any issues. The rest of her classes went smoothly, but she couldn’t wait for the day to end so she could talk to Nick and find out what was going on. They had been together for almost the entire school year, which felt like a long time, especially considering how temperamental Nick could be. But despite his sometimes strange behavior, Chloe knew he cared about her.

After classes, Chloe met Nick outside the school. He looked distant, and she couldn’t wait another second to find out what was wrong.

“You’re always hanging out with your friends, Chloe. And Greg? Why are you even friends with him? I’m your boyfriend, and you shouldn’t have male friends!” Nick shouted, his voice full of frustration.

Chloe was stunned. She had never expected this reaction from him, and the hurt in his voice cut deep.

From the moment Nick started talking, Chloe couldn't immediately grasp what he was trying to say; all she heard was the harshness of his yelling. The words blurred together, leaving her confused and unsure of what she had done to deserve such treatment. She knew she hadn’t done anything wrong and couldn’t tolerate this kind of attitude. To keep herself from shouting back, she took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.

“Why are you yelling at me? Greg and I have been friends since childhood! Are you jealous? Why are you only bringing this up now?” Chloe asked, her voice steady despite her rising emotions.

Nick's response was far from reassuring. “Don’t act like an angel, Chloe,” he said, his tone laced with mockery that caught her off guard.

“But you can’t suspect me of infidelity. I love you!” Chloe replied, hurt by his accusation yet trying to maintain her composure.

Surprisingly, Nick's anger dissipated as quickly as it had flared. He sighed, stepping close