Chasing His Kickass Luna Back
Chapter 0397

Abby

For a few long moments, I just sit there, my eyes wide with shock. My hands are so tightly wrapped around the steering wheel that my knuckles are pure white, and it takes almost all of my strength and willpower to peel my fingers back and release my grip on the wheel.

"Okay," I whisper with a trembling breath. “Think, Abby. Think.”

I let out a soft sigh, clutching my hair as I think and collect my bearings.

I'm uninjured, so that's good. The car is still running and there's no smoke coming out anywhere— also good. The blizzard is still raging on all around me, which is very much not good; but I figure that maybe if I just get out and assess the situation first, it won't be as bad as it seems.

I step out of the car, and immediately, the cold bites into me, seeping through my coat and sending shivers down my spine.

God, I think to myself; it wasn't nearly this cold when I left. I only grabbed a light jacket, thinking that it would be enough to get me to the shopping center and back. I should have brought something heavier.

I pull my coat tighter around my shoulders and walk around to the front of the car, and the sight that greets me is disheartening—the car is lodged deep in the snowy ditch, and I can tell just from looking at it that there's no way in hell I'm getting it out all on my own.

“Shit,” I mutter, my voice lost in the sound of the wind whistling all around me. Panic starts to well up inside of me as I realize that I'm stranded in the middle of nowhere with no one to turn to. Another cold wind blows through and whips my hair all around me. Shuddering, I scurry through the snow and ice, nearly falling along the way, and climb back into my warm car to reassess and think again.

"Okay," I whisper again, feeling as though I've just started over from square one. “I'll call Karl. That's what I'll do.”

I know I can't be that far from the mansion; it's only another twenty or twenty-five minute drive. Even if Karl can't get to me right this minute through the snowstorm, then at least he'll know where I am. And if push comes to shove, I'll call the police.

I pull my phone out of my bag and try to make a call, but feel my heart sink as I look down and see that the screen is proudly displaying the two words that I've been dreading the most.

“No service.”

Frustration bubbles inside of me, and I attempt again, hoping for some sort of miraculous signal breakthrough. I dial Karl's number, but am just met with the same notification as before.

"God dammit,” I hiss, throwing my phone onto the passenger seat. “Why now? Why like this?" Another string of curses escapes my mouth as I peer out the window into the freak blizzard. This was so unexpected; it just hit out of nowhere. Maybe I shouldn't have rolled my eyes at Karl earlier when he tried to warn me, I guess. After all, I guess I've forgotten how quickly the weather can change like this out here in the countryside.

Reluctantly, I turn off the car engine, not wanting to risk draining the battery. My breath fogs up the windows as I huddle inside, my body trembling from the cold.

My mind races, considering my options. I could wait and hope for another car to pass by, but there's no guarantee, and the storm is worsening by the minute.

Minutes turn into what feels like hours. I stare out into the white abyss, my heart pounding with each passing moment. The fear of being trapped here, alone and helpless, gnaws at me.

Then, like a beacon of hope, I spot distant headlights approaching through the heavy snowfall. My heart leaps with excitement, and I quickly turn on my headlights, hoping to catch the attention of the oncoming driver.

I flash my lights repeatedly, desperation fueling my actions. “Come on, come on,” I murmur under my breath, hoping they'll stop and give me some help.

But to my dismay, the approaching car doesn't seem to notice me through the thick snow. I feel a surge of frustration as they drive past me, the snow obscuring their view. I can't help myself; I jump out of the car and start waving my arms wildly, hoping they'll see me

But the driver just keeps going, completely oblivious to my distress. My heart sinks, and I trudge back to my car, defeated. The relentless snow continues to fall, erasing any traces of the car that had just passed within a minute.

I'm stuck here, and it feels like a nightmare. Panic threatens to overwhelm me, but I take a deep breath and remind myself to stay calm. I can't let fear consume me; I need to think of a way out of this predicament.

I check my phone again once I'm back in the car, but there's still no signal. I can't even call the police all the way out here, thanks to this damn storm.

With each passing moment, the reality of my situation sinks in deeper. I'm alone in a snowstorm, with no way to call for help. Karl is miles away, unaware of my plight. I can’t call the police. The tears well up in my eyes, but I blink them away, determined not to give in to despair.

I reach for the car's emergency kit, hoping to find something that might help. As I rummage through the contents, I come across a thermal blanket. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. I wrap it around myself, trying to conserve as much warmth as possible.

"Why me?” I mutter as I sink down further into the driver's seat. The paper bag containing my new dress and mask stares back at me through the rearview mirror, almost mocking me. If it weren't for this stupid party, I wouldn't be here right now. If it weren't for my constant fickle nature, none of this would have happened.

If it weren't for the fact that I'm hopelessly enamored with the man who I swore to myself that I would forget and cut out of my life forever, then maybe I'd still be home right now.

Hell, maybe I never would have even entered the cook-off. Maybe I never would have appeared on TV, and maybe I never would have catered the Alpha gathering, and maybe my restaurant wouldn't have been shut down by the health department.

Right?

I let out a shuddering breath. “No,” I whisper to myself. I'm just angry, and scared, and cold as hell. Time drags on, and I'm growing increasingly worried. The snowfall shows no signs of letting up, and the cold seeps into my bones. I keep my eyes glued to the road, hoping for another car to pass by, someone who might see me and stop.

As I sit there, shivering and helpless, my thoughts drift to Karl. I wish I could call him, let him know what's happening. But my phone remains stubbornly silent, devoid of any signal.

I can only hope that he'll realize something's wrong when I don't return home.

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