Chapter 255

The moment our group emerged from the escape room, there was a look of relief etched across their faces. I caught sight of Aria's worried expression swiftly shifting into a relieved smile as she noticed Timothy and me waiting in the lobby.

"Evie, are you okay?" Lucas asked, his concern evident in his voice.

I nodded, trying my best to mask the lingering unease. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed a breather."

Lucas insisted, "We were worried sick, but thankfully Tim caught up to you. Was it hard to breathe in there? I know there’s a lot of us…”

Aria chimed in, offering a solution. " Maybe we should do something a bit calmer, yeah? We can head back to our place for a game night, or something."

Timothy nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a great idea. A game night could be fun."

He looked down at me, testing my approval, and I smiled gratefully.

We made our way back to Aria and I’s apartment, the atmosphere lighter and far more relaxed. The familiar setting offered a sense of comfort, and I tried to push away the residual unease from earlier.

As the night progressed, we decided to engage in a game of charades. The cheerfulness was almost infectious, but beneath the surface, I still grappled with the distressing memories that lingered from the escape room.

It eventually reached a point of feeling unbearable, and I found myself unable to mask the tears threatening to come. Excusing myself quietly, I hurried to the bathroom, seeking a moment of solitude to clear my head.

Alone in the quiet confines of the bathroom, I leaned against the sink, taking deep breaths. A wave of embarrassment washed over me as I reflected on my earlier reaction at the escape room. I felt foolish for letting the memories overpower me in front of my friends.

I splashed water on my face, hoping the cool sensation would ease the heat in my face. It was as if Bruce was still taunting me, even from the grave.

The sound of laughter and animated chatter from the living room echoed through the walls, and it barely registered to me as something real. I felt isolated in my distress, unable to push through even the most benign social interactions without flinching.

Taking a few more deep breaths, I attempted to compose myself, steeling my resolve to rejoin the group. I couldn't let my unease ruin the pleasant evening for everyone else.

I was startled to hear a faint knock on the bathroom door. I didn’t respond, whoever it was waited a while before trying the doorknob. Aria and Lucas peeked in, their expressions a mix of concern and curiosity.

"Hey, Evie. Are you really okay?" Aria asked, her voice filled with genuine worry.

I offered them a feeble smile, trying to hide the turmoil swirling within me. "I'm sorry I ruined the night. I didn't mean to."

Aria's brow furrowed with concern. "Evie, you didn't ruin anything. We should've considered how you felt about it."

Lucas chimed in, his tone apologetic. "Yeah, sorry about that, Evie. We didn't mean to put you in a tough spot."

I sighed, feeling a surge of guilt wash over me. "It's not your fault. I just... I had a moment."

Aria's expression softened as she took a seat beside me on the edge of the tub. "Was it too scary in there?"

I hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of the memories pressing upon me. "The rooms... they reminded me of a place I'd rather forget. It was similar to where Bruce and Stella kept me locked in."

Aria's eyes widened in understanding, her voice filled with empathy. "Oh, Evie. I'm so sorry."

Lucas nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we should've thought about that."

I felt a rush of emotions, guilt and vulnerability intertwining within me. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I'll be fine, really."

Lucas shook his head. "You didn’t. We should’ve thought about it more.”

“Evie,” Aria continued, her concern unwavering as she gently probed further. “ Have you talked to a therapist about all of this?"

I shook my head, a wave of discomfort washing over me at the suggestion. "I... I don't want to. I'll figure it out."

Aria's voice was filled with compassion as she continued, "Your panic attacks seem to have gotten more frequent lately. Maybe talking to a professional could help."

I attempted to brush it off, not wanting to burden them further. "I'm okay, really. Let's not dwell on this. We should go back and enjoy the night."

Aria and Lucas exchanged a glance, their concern evident. Despite my attempts to downplay the situation, they seemed worried about my well-being.

"Evie, we care about you," Aria spoke softly, her eyes reflecting genuine concern. "We just want to make sure you're okay."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, touched by their genuine concern. "Thank you, both of you. Just give me a moment, okay?"

Aria and Lucas offered me reassuring smiles before heading back to the living room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. As I sat there, I couldn't shake off the feeling that they might be right.

Game night went on seamlessly. I joined everyone on the couch, attempting to force some sense of normalcy. I couldn't help but return to that sense of detachment, however.

My friends had decided on a game of charades, and laughter filled the air. Aria, animated and expressive, acted out a scene while Jake tried to decipher her gestures.

“What is that? Are you a clown?”

Aria mimed herself burrowing into something, her movements urgent. I cracked a smile.

“Are you a mole?” I guessed, scooting to the edge of the couch.

She urged me to continue, signaling that I was getting warmer. She wiped her forehead for effect.

“A worm…Earthworm!” Lucas attempted, and Aria tapped her finger on her nose.

“Yes, finally!” She clapped her hands excitedly and sighed. “Jeez, I thought this would be the easiest game to play.”

“You were using your arms,” Jake whined. “Worms don’t have arms!”

“It was for effect!”

Timothy laughed beside me and hooked an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. I rested my head against his chest and felt the brief warmth of his lips on my temple.

“You okay?” he mumbled.

“Uh-huh.” I gave his hand a squeeze. “Never better.”

Lucas, always the joker, took his turn, exaggerating his movements even more than Aria. He pretended to have large muscles and started stomping around the living room. Timothy furrowed his brows.

I couldn't help but smile at the infectious atmosphere. The others were shouting answers, and Lucas grew more frustrated. The movements became even more exaggerated and everyone was lost.

Timothy's voice broke through the brief silence. "Is it... a monkey riding a unicycle?" he guessed, prompting a fresh wave of laughter when Lucas threw his head back in exhaustion.

Aria caught my eye and beckoned me to join in. "Evie, come on, we need your guessing skills!"

“You know I suck at this game,” I said sheepishly. “I don’t know. Are you at the circus?”

Lucas waved for me to go on, as I seemingly got warmer. Timothy seemed to get some form of clarity from the hint, and he tried another guess.

"Come on, Tim! You've got this!" Aria cheered, watching him grow pensive.

The game continued, each round filled with animated gestures, enthusiastic guessing, and uproarious laughter. We were all terrible at it, but it was harmless fun. Exactly what I needed.