Page 40 of The Ring
I arrive at the library, but one of the entrances is locked, so I walk around to the other one. I enter and glance around to pass the time. I love this room. It feels like it’s been pulled straight from another era. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves line the walls in warm shades of brown, filled with antique books. If Cornelia’s grandmother knew I was touching them, she’d likely slap my hand. The room is also full of antique furniture. I pick a book from the shelves, sit in a brown old chair, and start flipping through the pages.
I hear someone entering the room. I stand up and turn around, expecting to see Cornelia, but instead, I see Nate standing there.
Fantastic.He also stayed the night, and out of all the places on the estate, he has to come here at the exact time I’m supposed to meet Cornelia.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, annoyed.
He steps further into the room. “What areyoudoing here?”
I was about to sayI asked first,but considering I brought his ex as my date, I’ll let him have this one.
“I’m meeting Cornelia here.”
Nate looks at me, confused. “I’m meeting Cornelia here,” he repeats.
I chuckle. “Of course,” I say to myself.
It all makes sense now. There’s no way Cornelia would have arranged to meet with both of us here at the same time. This explains why the note didn’t feel like her, and why the handwriting in the note looked like a girl’s but different from how I remember hers being—it was never hers. And there is only one person who would pull something like this, someone who wanted Nate and me to talk things out and could easily access Cornelia’s stationery.
This is Laurie’stime out.Though this does sound like something she might do to get us to talk it out, it’s very Cornelia. It wouldn’t surprise me if she gave him the idea. But I know her well enough to know she’s not actively participating in this.
“What?” Nate asks, clearly irritated.
“Let me guess, you got a note saying to meet her here in ten minutes?”
His jaw clenches. “Fifteen, but yes.”
It’s really bothering him I know something he doesn’t, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the fact he doesn’t know Cornelia well enough to figure it out on his own.
“It wasn’t from Cornelia; it was fromLaurie,” I say, watching as Nate’s expression shifts from confusion to realisation.
I leave the book I’m still holding right where it was. “Since Cornelia isn’t coming, I’m out of here,” I say to no one in particular. But just as I turn to leave, I see the double doors closing. Nate and I both run towards them, but we’re too late.
I try to open them, but they’re locked.
“Let me try,” Nate says.
“It won’t change anything. They’re locked.”
“Still, let me. Maybe you’re doing it wrong.”
I sigh as I step aside, vexed, letting him try. He’s acting like I don’t know how to open a fucking door.
He rolls his eyes and tries to open it, but as I said, he’s unsuccessful. He tries again and again, growing more desperate, and starts manhandling the door. Maybe he can’t stand admitting I was right.
“Whoever’s doing that, stop it! The door is at least a hundred years old, and you better not be the twats who break it,” Laurie calls out, sounding a little amused, from the other side of the door. That only infuriates me further.
“Let us out! This isn’t funny!” I yell.
There’s a brief silence, and I worry he might have left.
“I’ll let you out,” my brother says.
“So hurry up and open the damn door!” Nate hisses.
“I’ll let you out once you two have sorted out your issues,” Laurie reframes his original statement. “So how about if I come back in… half an hour to see how you two are doing?”
“Don’t you dare walk away!” Nate yells.
