“I, Alice White, accept your rejection,” I managed to say, my voice stuttering at the end. The moment I finished, a pain like nothing I’d ever felt washed over me.

Back to Reality:

When I opened my eyes again, all I saw was a bright, white light. It was the familiar sight of a hospital room. The swelling in my throat had gone down, but I still felt uncomfortable.

Doc Donald, who had treated me countless times since childhood, stood at my bedside, lecturing Alpha Mike and Mathew, while the culprit, Ella, was nowhere to be found. Doc Donald was Mathew’s uncle and my grandfather’s student. He’d watched us grow...