Deviating from the original plot

Chapter thirty-nine

"No occasion," her mother replied with a smile. "Just your daughter being brilliant again. Ninety-six on her report card."

"Really now?" he said, his eyes lighting up as he walked over to ruffle Alicia's hair. "That's my girl."

"Dad!" Alicia ducked away, smoothing her hair back down. "I'm not a little kid anymore."

"You'll always be my little girl," he said with a grin, before leaning over the pot. "Now, tell me—when do we eat? Because if I don't sit down soon, I might faint from the smell alone."

Her mother swatted his hand as he tried sneaking a piece of meat. "You'll wait until the table's set like everyone else."

Alicia laughed, grabbing the plates. "Don't steal, Dad!"

They finished setting the table, the warm scent of roasted food filling the kitchen. As the family sat down to eat, her father looked up between bites.

"A ninety-six? I've got to say, that's incredible," he praised.

"She came second," her mother added slyly, eyes twinkling. "Just one mark behind that boy, Jason... you know, the one she keeps talking about."

"Mum!" Alicia groaned, her face heating.

Her parents exchanged a look, both of them laughing softly. Her mother shook her head with a smile. "Alright, honey, calm down. We're just teasing you."

Alicia crossed her arms, muttering under her breath, "Doesn't sound like teasing when you're both ganging up on me."

Her parents laughed again. Dinner went on with stories and chatter, but later that night, Alicia sat at her desk, phone propped up as she joined a video call with her friends.

"What's up, losers?" Tomika greeted, her camera zoomed close to her eye.

"Ugh, why are you like this?" Hannah deadpanned, wrinkling her nose, while Alicia laughed.

"Where's Cheryl?" Tomika asked, ignoring the comment.

"She's still trying to connect. You know how bad her Wi-Fi has been of late," Alicia replied.

Right on cue, Cheryl's screen lit up. "Hi, guys!" she said cheerfully—but her video was so pixelated and warped she looked like a Picasso painting brought to life.

"Bahahaha!" Everyone burst out laughing at Cheryl's video.

"Quick, screenshot it!" Hannah cackled.

"What's wrong with you guys!" Cheryl's distorted voice crackled through the lag, which only made everyone laugh harder.

"This is group-chat-sticker worthy!" Tomika wheezed, laughing so hard she nearly fell off her chair.

"You guys are so not mature," Cheryl's broken voice grumbled.

"We don't want to be mature," Hannah shot back, grinning.

"Anyways," Tomika said, regaining her breath, "did anyone finish The Flower that Blooms for the Crown yet?"

"I did," Alicia chimed in.

"Oh, Cassius and Evelyn—my OTP!" Hannah clasped her hands dramatically.

"My favourite part", Tomika cut in, her voice rising with excitement, "was when they were investigating the Black Mages and got cornered in that alley. And then Cassius said, 'Lady Evelyn, close your eyes; I don't want your sight to be tainted.' And she actually did it, and he slaughtered everyone with his sword. And then—oh my gosh—he covered her eyes with his hand afterward because he didn't want her to see the blood on him. He wanted to protect her pure, noble heart. It was so hot!"

"Cassius is such a dreamboat," Cheryl's glitchy voice added, which somehow made the statement even funnier.

"Well, I did like the novel, but it's not the best I have ever read, it had lots of cliches, and not to mention the occasional laziness in shown in the writing by the author," Alicia commented

"Alicia, why can't you just turn off your brain sometimes, not everything has to be analysed" Tomika said

"Chill, I never said I didn't like the book." Alicia chuckled.

The girls continued chatting, gushing over their favourite moments and making plans for summer. Eventually, laughter gave way to yawns, and one by one, they signed off for the night.

Alicia slipped beneath her blankets, her lips curved in a faint smile as she thought about the laughter she shared with her friends. Tomorrow would finally mark the beginning of her summer break, and with that happy thought, she closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.

But deep into the night, her room grew unnaturally still. Shadows thickened in the corners. A figure emerged in the darkness, cloaked and silent, holding a worn notepad in one hand and a gleaming scythe in the other.

The figure flipped through the notepad, stopping on a page. His voice was low and detached as he read, "Alicia... stage IV cancer patient. Poor thing. Shouldn't she be in a hospital by now?" He gave a small shrug. "Well, who's to say? I'm just here to do my job."

He raised the scythe, its edge shimmering faintly in the moonlight that cut across the room.

"Now", the reaper murmured, "you can have a good, peaceful rest."

He swung the scythe down.