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“Thank you.” I flex my fingers. The sting has faded to a dull throb.

“Try not to get into any more trouble, okay?”

“I’ll do my best.”

Gemma returns to her station, eyeing me curiously. “I noticed you weren’t using one of the machines earlier.”

I shift in my seat, forcing my happy face. “Yeah, I just… I don’t really know how.” It’s not a complete lie. I mean, I know the basics, but the thought of actually using one makes my palms sweat and my heart race.

Her eyes light up. “Oh, I can show you now if you want!”

I don’t want to, but her enthusiasm is contagious. “Sure, that would be great.” I follow her, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest.

She delves into the intricacies of threading and bobbin winding, hands gesturing animatedly. It’s fascinating. The fear that usually grips me when I’m near these machines is replaced by a growing curiosity.

“And then you just press down on the pedal, and voila!” Gemma beams as the machine whirs to life, the needle bobbing up and down in a hypnotic dance.

I lean in closer, watching as she guides the fabric through with practiced ease. It’s mesmerizing, the way the thread weaves in and out, creating a perfect seam. For a moment, I almost forget where I am, lost in the rhythmic hum of the machine.

“See? It’s not so bad once you get the hang of it,” Gemma says.

I nod. “You’re really good at this.”

“It’s nothing. I’ve just had a lot of practice.”

It’s easy to talk to her, and as she goes on, we start talking about movies. It turns out we like the same genres: rom-coms and thrillers.

I glance at my phone and jolt. “I’m late for my next class.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to distract you.”

“No, please, it’s fine. It was fun, actually.” I never thought I would say this when these horror machines were part of it.

“Let’s hang out sometime. Give me your phone.” She holds out her hand.

I pass it to her, and she quickly types in her number before handing it back to me.

“Text me, okay? We’ll make plans.”

“I will. Thanks again for… everything.”

“What are friends for?” She gives me a quick hug, catching me off guard. “See you around.”

“See you.” I give a little wave and head to my next class.

Today was unexpected, and one thing is clear. I’m not going back there. The sewing workshop is canceled. For now.

My steps are lighter as I make my way to the library. Sebastian already replaced me, so why should I keep avoiding my happy place? Not happening.

Chapter 14

Sebastian

Sweat drips down my brow as the whistle shrieks, signaling the end of a grueling two-hour football practice. I barely register Coach’s voice booming across the field, probably dismissing us for the day.

My body aches from the drills.

“Barron, what the hell was that?” Coach Thompson strides toward me, his expression stern. “You were all over the field today. Saturday is the game. You need to step it up.”

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