The Day Love Betrayed Me and Never the Plan 25

To everyone else, the crash seemed like a total disaster. They assumed there were no survivors. 

But just around a sharp bend in the street, Chloe was running toward Hevenscale University with an axe in hand 

She was surprised to find that her spiritual space allowed her to shift her position up to 30 feet. 

That meant if she entered the spiritual space while in the car, she could reappear anywhere within a 30–foot radius of the vehicle, leaving nothing but flames behind. 

A few luxury cars were parked some distance away, with people watching the fire, but none daring to get 

closer. 

“What a shame. That hot girl has probably been burned to ashes,” Tony, one of the powered humans, said. 

More cars pulled up, and people climbed out, cursing loudly. 

“Goddamn it. That woman drags us all the way out here and then gets herself killed. What the hell are we supposed to do now?” someone grumbled. 

“She got what she deserved, driving like a lunatic,” another muttered. 

They were all Chloe’s neighbors, standing together and cursing her out. 

***** 

By now, Chloe had already arrived at Hevenscale University. 

Since the zombie virus hit during Christmas, the campus was empty. At the gate, two zombies in ragged security uniforms were wandering around. They lost one of their sneakers, and their uniforms were falling apart. 

Suddenly, they stopped, as if sensing something. Both of them twisted their necks 180 degrees at the same time, their heads flopping sideways with their jaws gaping unnaturally wide. It was freaky and gross. 

It was -22 F, with huge snowflakes falling from the sky. The cold made the zombies move stiffly. They gave Chloe a quick look and shuffled off. Honestly, being covered in zombie blood turned out to be pretty useful. 

Chloe hopped over the gate and slipped onto the university grounds. The campus was blanketed in untouched snow, the skyline shrouded in quiet white. 

It had only been a week since the apocalypse, but the lively, youthful vibe of the place was gone. Under the thick, cloudy sky, a heavy silence hung in the air, eerie and unsettling. 

Chloe hurried across the snowy campus in her boots. Her eyes locked onto a blood–red flower, standing out like a flame. She bent over with her hands on her waist, panting as relief washed over her. ‘Good thing I made it in time, she thought. 

15:08 Sun, Dec 21 

Chapter 25 

“Hey, there,” a warm, friendly male voice echoed from behind. 

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Chloe froze, a chill running down her spine. She turned around stiffly and met a pair of curious eyes. 

The guy was tall and broad–shouldered with glasses perched on his nose, looking like the campus heartthrob. “What brings you here?” he asked, his smile growing wider when he saw Chloe. 

“I–I didn’t go home for Christmas. I was the only one left in my dorm, and I got so hungry, so I came out to look for something to eat,” Chloe said, her voice light and a little vulnerable. Her beauty, however, was misleading. 

The guy seemed genuinely sympathetic. “What a coincidence. A few of us didn’t go home, either. We’re hanging out with the on–duty teacher in the cafeteria. There’s still some food left. I can take you there,” he said, reaching out to take her hand. 

Chloe stepped back immediately, giving him a wary look. 

The guy smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you.” 

Then it hit Chloe that he was the class genius from senior year. She glanced up at the snow falling thickly around them, nodded politely, and pointed at the red flower in the center of the field. “Can I pick it?” she asked. 

The guy sighed a little, thinking, ‘Even in the apocalypse, girls still care about pretty things. He said, “Alright, but make it quick.” 

Chloe’s face lit up with excitement. She sprinted to the flower and grabbed it. Making sure her back was to him, she stuffed it into her mouth in one smooth motion. Instantly, a warm rush flooded through her body. She could feel her abilities strengthening. 

The snow was falling so hard that going outside wasn’t an option anymore. Staying in the dorm was definitely the smartest move. 

“Hey, where’s your flower?” the guy asked, noticing her hands were empty. 

“It’s in my bag,” Chloe replied and then hurried ahead. 

“You’re going the wrong way. The cafeteria’s over there,” the guy said, grabbing her hand. His grip was unnaturally strong, and there was no way he was just a regular student. 

“Alright,” Chloe said, offering no resistance. She followed him toward the cafeteria, staying alert. 

Occasionally, they met a few wandering zombies, but the guy smashed their heads in with ease. When he turned and saw the mix of fear and admiration in Chloe’s eyes, he flashed a smug smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe,” he said. 

***** 

They pushed open the heavy doors of the cafeteria and slammed them shut behind them. 

Chloe was surprised to see the place packed. There were a dozen girls, over twenty guys, and five teachers. 

15:08 Sun, Dec 21 

Chapter 25 

One of them was her homeroom teacher, Gerardo. 

Well, what a coincidence,‘ Chloe thought. 

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As soon as one of the girls saw her, her eyes narrowed with suspicion and jealousy. She quickly rushed over and threw her arms around the guy with Chloe. “Jason, where have you been? I was so worried about you,” she complained. 

Chloe shuddered at how cheesy it was, pulled her hand back, and instinctively took a few steps away. 

Jason gently patted the girl on the back. “I’m back now, aren’t I? Oh, and let me introduce you. This is a schoolmate I met on the field. Her name is-” 

“Chloe Yates,” Chloe said, and then walked over to the group of girls. There were clean blankets piled up over there, probably brought from the dorms. 

But she wasn’t exactly welcomed. Wherever she went, the girls would crowd around, trying to push her out, as if she were about to take their spot. 

Finally, Jason, the guy wearing glasses, spoke up. “We’re all schoolmates here. We should stick together and look out for each other.” His tone was calm and friendly, but the girls still looked startled and uneasy. 

Chloe immediately sensed something was off. She stayed quiet, deciding to watch how things played out. 

Someone handed her a plate of instant oatmeal, and she dug in, slurping and sighing with satisfaction, completely unfazed by the jealous stares. “Wow, this is so good,” she said, making a show of enjoying every bite. 

The dozen or so girls nearby were practically glaring at her, but Chloe just shrugged it off. 

At least the electricity was still on, even though the water was out. Staying warm wasn’t an issue for now. 

Just then, Jason pulled a pale, skinny girl from the next room. “Hey, everyone, look. She drank melted snow two days ago and didn’t turn into a zombie. So the snow is safe. Feel free to use it,” he announced. 

“Yay!” the crowd shouted. The only dangerous water was from the red rain. Any rain or snow after that was safe to drink, as long as it wasn’t contaminated. 

Everyone rushed outside to scoop up snow from the bloodstained ground. The thin, dark–skinned girl was pushed into the group of girls, leaving just Chloe and her alone in the cafeteria. 

Chloe sized the girl up. The girl kept her head down, her long hair covering her face. Her small, dark face was dotted with freckles. Honestly, she wasn’t much to look at. 

When the girl felt Chloe’s gaze, she shifted away, looking embarrassed.