Chapter 3Reborn, I Refuse to Take Her Place

The color drained from Eric's face instantly. His lips moved, but no sound came out. Finally, he whispered, "Sadie?"

"Sadie."

"Sadie, wake up."

My eyes snapped open. Diana's face was hovering inches from mine.

"What are you doing?" I gasped.

She tapped her phone screen. "Our appointment with Dr. Bennett. It's today."

"Right." I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead, sitting in stunned silence until my soul fully snapped back into my body.

"You're coming with me?" Diana was already doing her makeup in the mirror.

"Obviously," she said, popping her lips. "But don't worry, I'll wait in the lobby. Total privacy." She held up a pair of massive headphones. "Active noise cancellation. I won't hear a thing."

I grew up in a tiny, suffocating town where secrets didn't exist. If someone lost a spoon, the whole neighborhood gossiped about it by Tuesday.

Naturally, everyone knew my mother was a crazy woman.

I spent eighteen years in that town. No one let their kids play with the crazy lady's daughter. I hated them all.

Diana was my first real friend. After college, she moved back to her hometown, and we drifted apart. I was too ashamed of my toxic life to keep in touch. When she mailed me a wedding invitation, I ghosted her.

She had been hurt, but she still mailed me the bridesmaid gift.

I remembered opening the box. There was a handwritten card inside. I hope Sadie is always happy.

I had ripped it into pieces and thrown it in the trash.

Eric had watched me do it, his eyes full of disbelief. "Why do you destroy everyone who tries to care about you?"

"She's not my friend," I had spat back. "I don't have friends."

Later that night, I caught him taping the shredded card back together. He left it on my desk. Ironically, when I packed up my life before I died, that taped-up card was the one thing I made sure to take with me.

"Diana," I said softly from the bed. "I'm sorry."

She walked over and pressed the back of her hand to my forehead. "Are you running a fever? What are you apologizing for?"

I just shook my head.

When we got to the clinic, the receptionist recognized Diana's name and waved us right back to Dr. Bennett's office.

The door was cracked open. Diana, being Diana, immediately hunched over and peeked inside.

I reached out to pull her back, but she gasped. "Is that Eric? What is he doing here?"

I leaned in. Through the gap, I could see the sharp, familiar slope of his shoulders.

"It's him," I breathed.

"You sure?" Diana whispered.

Then his low, strained voice drifted into the hallway. "If she has severe control issues... if she constantly lashes out, and sometimes hurts herself... what kind of medication does she need?"

Dr. Bennett sighed. "Eric, I've told you. I cannot prescribe anything without evaluating the patient in person."

Eric slumped in his chair. He looked utterly defeated. "She won't come."

The doctor gave him a sympathetic look. "Who is she to you?"

Eric was quiet for a long time.

"She's my girlfriend."

Diana's jaw dropped. She turned to me and mouthed, He has a girlfriend.

The conversation wrapped up, and Eric stood to leave. I grabbed Diana by the sleeve and yanked her into the nearest stairwell.

Through the heavy fire door window, I watched Eric walk past. The grief in his eyes was suffocating.

Who was he talking about? Me?

But he didn't even know me in this timeline. Not really.

"Come on," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "It's our turn."

Diana shoved me into the office and shut the door behind me.

Dr. Bennett was warm. She promised today was just about getting to know each other, though we might eventually have to unpack some ugly boxes.

By the time I walked out, it was past noon. Diana knew I was broke, so she dragged me back to the campus dining hall, insisting it was her treat.

We had just sat down when my phone rang. It was my academic advisor. She demanded I come to the administration building immediately.

"What's wrong?" Diana asked, seeing my face drop.

"I don't know." I rarely got called to the office, let alone with that kind of urgency.

Diana grabbed my hand. "I'm coming with you. Don't panic."

My anxiety spiked instantly. I was so used to waiting for the other shoe to drop.

When we reached the office, the door was open. I heard a voice that made my blood run cold.

"Look what she did to my husband! Do you have any idea how much this has cost our family? And she gets to sit pretty in a fancy university while he's rotting in a bed!"

The advisor was trying desperately to calm her down.

Diana's eyes went wide. "Are they talking about you?"