He Thought I Was Faking My Death, But I Was Really Gone Chapter 04

He Thought I Was Faking My Death, But I Was Really Gone Chapter 04

The sun finally sank below the horizon.

The campfire crackled to life.

Paige pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of Derek’s back as he worked around the fire.

I drifted overhead, watching clearly as she posted it.

[Some people think leaving proves how much they matter.]

[They never realize that the person who truly loves you would ache just seeing you frown.]

[So grateful to have you. Desert survival trip—mission complete.]

Within a minute, a row of likes appeared beneath it.

Every single one from the Falcon Ridge group.

“Derek and Paige are endgame!”

“Some people don’t deserve a guy as good as Derek.”

“Somebody’s probably back at the hotel right now, staring at this post and fuming.”

Derek walked over carrying a plate of grilled lamb skewers.

He checked his watch, brow furrowing slightly.

“Nora still hasn’t messaged the group chat?”

One of the guys, mid-bite on a rib, answered without even looking up.

“Nope. Not even a punctuation mark.”

“Derek, forget about her. She’s probably still at that rest stop on the edge of the desert, waiting for you to cave and go pick her up.”

“She really can hold a grudge. It’s been hours. Isn’t she hungry?”

Derek pressed the lamb skewers into Paige’s hand and pulled out his truck keys.

“I can’t let her keep acting out.”

“Everyone but Paige, get in the truck. We’re going to get her.”

The group looked less than thrilled.

“Derek, why bother going to get her? Let her learn her lesson.”

Derek only gave a cold laugh.

“I’m bringing you all so she can apologize to every one of you, face to face.”

“This club isn’t a stage for her tantrums.”

“She’s wasted everyone’s time. She owes us an apology.”

Paige jumped up immediately, tugging at the hem of his jacket.

“Derek, I’m coming too.”

“I know Nora’s being unreasonable, but she’s still my best friend. I should be there to soften things when you all confront her.”

After basking in a round of praise, Paige climbed into the truck with the rest of them.

I followed the truck, drifting all the way toward my own corpse.

Half an hour later, the truck finally reached the dunes where the group had split up that morning.

In the glare of the headlights, the complaining in the cab suddenly went silent.

Tyler stammered, pointing out the window.

“D-Derek… that… that person…”

Derek followed his gaze and saw my body, twisted at an unnatural angle.

His pupils shrank to pinpricks. He scrambled and half-crawled out of the truck.

“Nora!!!”