The Pretend Friend Ch. 11

It had been years since I felt this much rage. I had been an angry child. Continuously abandoned and dragged from place to place as adults falsely promised that they would be my new home, I moved through life with a hardened heart and bruised fists.

I hurt others before they hurt me. I was impenetrable.

And then a rich, blind girl cut herself on her glasses, and I helped her despite having never been helped by anyone else before.

I let Charlotte into my life, and I let her into my life again ten years after leaving her.

And this time she was leaving me.

After months of being together.

After exchanging our first 'I love you's' a day before.

After she promised me over and over again that she would never leave me, that she would never hurt me again.

A car horn blaring made me stagger to a stop. My hands instinctively landed on the hood of the car, and I met the eyes of the angry driver through the windshield. His shouting was muffled, and my ears were ringing, growing louder and louder as the rage grew. The driver slammed his hand against his steering wheel, and I saw red.

I stomped over to his door and yanked at the handle. It snapped back, locked. He yelled, and I yelled back. Cars everywhere honked, and I slapped my hand against his window. Just as I reached for the handle again, his tires screeched, and he took off. I screamed after him. I screamed so hard until my throat burned and a coughing fit cut right through. I spat out blood.

Eyes everywhere stared at me, and I flicked them off.

"What the fuck are you looking at?" I screamed, though my voice came out all strangled and hoarse. Still, they didn't look away, and I turned and continued to run.

What was worse was that she didn't even respect me enough to talk to me or give me a chance to ask her to stay. She just left in the middle of the night, taking everything that was hers and leaving me with only a letter.

A letter marked with rushed handwriting, smudged ink, tear stains dried on the paper, and her scent all over it.

I didn't know how long I sat in bed reading the letter over and over again, trying to process her words and comprehend exactly why she had left. When I finally could move, the first thing I did was call her. I called her over and over again, but she didn't pick up.

Then I started leaving voicemails. One after the other, they grew angrier and angrier, and then her voicemail grew full.

After that, I just ran out the house and kept running. The more I ran, the angrier I got. The letter was engrained in my memory now, and I knew her words would haunt me.

Fuck her.

She was right. She didn't deserve me at all.

If she loved me, she wouldn't have left. She would have let me love her and let me stay by her side.

Instead, she was selfishly running away with the excuse that she was doing it for me. It was all bullshit, so fuck Charlotte.

The anger was still boiling deep inside of me when I got back. I stomped inside, determined to go to my room and burn her letter for good.

Instead, I was faced with Noah and the girls. They all stood when I entered the living room, and my eyes immediately cut to Noah. He looked away guiltily.

"Noah said you were screaming a lot this morning," Sadie explained tentatively.

"Why the hell does it matter what I do?" I snapped.

Laura stepped forward. "Jess, Noah was worried, so he called us. Take. A. Breath."

I laughed emptily. "What, you guys don't have anything better to do with your lives, and you just come at our beck and call?"

"Jess, stop." Alex's voice was gravely serious, her expression sad. "Please. Not in front of him."

I clenched my jaw, my eyes flickering over to Noah, who was staring at me with wide, fearful eyes. Guilt crept under my skin, joining the anger that wouldn't leave.

"Noah, why don't you go upstairs with Alex?" Laura said, though she didn't take her eyes off of me. I turned to meet her hot gaze.

There was some reluctance from Noah, but I forced myself to look at him and tried to soften my expression. Still, it felt too tight.

"Noah, please go upstairs," I said quietly. "I'm just going to talk to Sadie and Laura, okay?"

"Please don't be mad at them," he pleaded. "I called them and asked them to come."

I forced a smile. "I'm not mad at them, sweetie, and I'm not mad at you. You did the right thing."

"I'm sorry, Mom."

Some of my anger ebbed away. Dropping down to a knee in front of him, I pulled Noah into my arms, and his tears joined the sweat on my skin as he hugged me back.

"It's okay, Noah. I'm sorry for scaring you." I kissed his cheek and pulled away to wipe his tears. "Go upstairs, okay?"

He nodded quietly and turned to take Alex's outstretched hand. She gave me a small smile, and I attempted to do the same but I had no energy left to spend on it. Once the both of them disappeared upstairs, I stood up again, only to be grabbed by Laura, who pulled me towards her by my shirt.

"What the hell, Silva? What did you do to scare the kid that much?" she seethed.

I shoved her away, and Sadie quickly stepped in between us, her eyes wide as she glanced between the two of us.

"Oh, fuck off. You have no right to judge me," I snapped.

"No, you fuck off, Jess. You love that kid more than anything else in the world, and he called us crying, saying you just kept screaming and throwing things in your room. And then you left him!"

"I didn't mean to scare him!" I yelled, and my throat began to burn again. I didn't care. The anger was coming back full force, and all I could think about was the damn letter that was still in my room. "She fucking left me, alright? She told me she loved --"

I couldn't finish the rest of it. So sudden, so quickly, a sob cracked through my chest, and I keeled over, gasping for air.

A hand landed on my shoulder, and I shoved it off. It returned anyway, followed by another hand, and then I was falling to my knees as more sobs wracked my body.

Sadie's cologne filled my senses as she wrapped her arms around me, and I clung onto her like she was a lifeline. Laura stomped out of the room, and a moment later, I heard the front door slam shut.

"I'm sorry, hun," Sadie whispered as she rocked me. "I'm sorry."

"I love her," I choked out between hiccups. "Sadie, she, I -- she left me."

She tucked my head under her chin and tightened her arms. "I know, hun. She doesn't deserve you. We're going to cry it all out today. Tomorrow is going to be hard, but it will be less painful than today. And just like that, we'll keep moving, okay?"

Tired, I merely nodded, and she continued to hold me as I cried.

The thing was I didn't want to keep moving. All I wanted was Charlotte, and no matter how angry and hurt I was, all I wanted was to make sure she was okay. She was out there, alone and so scared. After everything, I couldn't understand why she didn't want me by her side. Why was it so hard for her to just let me be there for her?

Laura stomped back into the room, but I kept my face buried in Sadie's chest. My cries had quieted and my anger snuffed out.

"She's in Atlanta."

I pulled away from Sadie and looked up at Laura's face, which was still fixed in anger. She was gripping her phone tightly.

"She picked up?" I asked, my voice cracking.

Laura shook her head, her jaw flickering with tension as she clenched and unclenched them. "I called Olivia."

"What?"

"She has Charlotte's location, and the last time she checked it, which was this morning, Charlotte was in Atlanta. Her location is turned off now, and she hasn't picked up Olivia's calls either."

Pulling my knees to my chest, I sniffled, and Sadie wiped my eyes. "She didn't give me her location."

"Fuck her, Jess."

"Don't say that," I mumbled and dropped my head onto my knees dejectedly.

Rather than argue, Laura knelt down in front of me, and her expression softened. "Do you want to go?"

"Go where?"

"Atlanta."

I stared blankly at her. "And do what?"

"Come on, Jess," she sighed. "Find her and curse her out, of course."

"She told me not to look for her."

"And you're just going to do what she says?"

I frowned.

"Why don't we do what you want for a change?" Laura said. "Stop doing what people want you to do. Stop thinking of others. Think about what you want, Jess."

"I..." She had a point. I knew she did.

That was my problem, wasn't it? I let people in, I let them walk all over me, and on and on it went. I kept hurting, but it wasn't just because of them. I kept letting it happen, and this time, enough was enough.

My energy returned, along with a new purpose, and Laura's lips stretched into a slow smile when she read it on my face.

"I really don't want to know what you two plan on doing," Sadie groaned.

"Sadie, you're not even invited," Laura said without breaking her gaze from mine. "You're too much of a pacifist."

"I don't want to hurt her," I said, and Laura narrowed her eyes. "I just want to say my piece."

"And egg her car?"

"No."

Laura groaned. "I'm surrounded by softies."

"I love her, Laura."

The scowl left her face, and she sighed. "I know."

"I'm angry, and I'm really hurt. But despite everything, I just really love her, and she's alone and she might --" My voice faltered, and I dropped my face into my hands. Sadie rubbed my back soothingly, and I let out a shaky breath before continuing, "She might lose her vision again, and I know she's scared."

Sadie's hand paused, and Laura cursed softly.

"I want her to know how hurt and angry I am, but I really just want to make sure she'll be okay even without me in her life."

Sadie pulled me back into her arms, and a moment later, Laura wrapped her arms around us.

"You have too big of a heart," Laura grumbled. "Never change, Silva."

Despite my tears, I found the will to smile.

---------------

The car door slammed shut after Laura climbed in, and she glanced over at me.

"Got everything?"

Nodding, I smoothed out Charlotte's crumpled letter on my lap.

Laura insisted on going with me to Atlanta. She didn't want me driving back when my feelings were all over the place, and I knew without her saying anything that she didn't want me to be alone. I didn't want to be alone either, so I didn't argue.

Sadie and Alex were going to watch Noah until I came back, and I gave them Robert's number in case they needed an extra hand. I knew Noah was still confused, but I didn't have the heart to tell him that Charlotte had left.

At least not yet.

Instead, I just held him tightly and apologized over and over again for scaring him.

Laura's gaze lingered on my face, but I didn't look at her. Then she let out a sigh and pulled out of the driveway.

My eyes read over the words on the paper, and I felt my chest began to tighten again.

Jess,

You know I've never been good with words, so I'll lay it all out bare and simple.

I love you.

When I told you that I loved you so much that it was hard to breathe, I meant it wholeheartedly. I love you more than I love myself, and I know now that I will never love anyone as much as I love you. Sometimes, I think that we are soulmates, but now, I wished it was someone else.

You deserve someone better than me. I know you won't understand. I know you might hate me after reading this, and I know I'll deserve every ounce of it.

In every corner that is dark, you bring so much light. Ever since we met each other again, you have filled my life with so much of it, and you made me feel happy again. I forgot what that was like after my mom passed, so thank you.

I know you'll wonder why I'm leaving. It's not because I'm afraid that you'll pity me because I know you won't. I know you'll give your all, and that's why I'm leaving. You need someone who gives you just as much light, if not, more. I'll never be that person, so I have to leave to make room.

I'm not coming back. I'm leaving Savannah, and I don't know where I'll go or what I'll do. But I'm not coming back, so please don't wait for me. Please don't look for me.

Don't waste your light on me. You'll find someone worthy of you, and you'll move on.

You have such a beautiful soul, Jess, and Noah will grow up to inherit the same. Though, I have a feeling he already has. I'll miss him, and I'll miss you.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

Forever and eternally yours,

Charlotte

-------------------

When we arrived at the hotel six hours later, it was dark and storming hard. There was barely any spots left to park in, and Laura had me wait in the car while she ran in to get us a room.

I folded Charlotte's letter neatly and tucked it deep into my duffle bag, so that it wouldn't get wet.

Laura was drenched when she returned to the car, and the look on her face was far from calm. She looked absolutely pissed.

"What --"

"There's no rooms left," she spat angrily and turned the car back on. "Apparently, there's some stupid convention this weekend, and they're all booked. Who the fuck has a convention in October?"

"It's fine, Laura. We'll find another hotel," I tried to calm her down.

She didn't calm down at all, and there wasn't in fact, another hotel. Apparently, it was a popular gaming convention that brought in thousands of people every year. Any rooms that hadn't been reserved before tonight were now all taken.

I was prepared to sleep in the car, but then Laura drove back to the first hotel we stopped at.

I turned to her as she parked. "I thought you said they were all booked."

Laura reached behind to grab only my bag and muttered something under her breath.

"What?"

She released an annoyed breath and repeated louder, "Olivia has a room. She offered to let us stay with her earlier."

"Wait, hold on." I grabbed Laura's hand to still her, and her eyes snapped up to meet mine angrily. "Why is Olivia here?"

She shrugged and broke her gaze. "For the stupid gaming convention? I don't know. I didn't ask."

Laura was snappier than usual, and I knew it wasn't because of the lack of hotel rooms.

"What happened between you two in New York?" I questioned.

"Nothing," she answered too quickly.

"Did you sleep with her?"

Her head snapped back up. "Jesus fuck, Jess. No!"

"So then you said something to her, or she said something to you?"

She clenched her jaw shut, and I nodded. It wasn't surprising at all that they found something to argue about. They were both bad-tempered, combative, and stubborn. Put them in a car for thirteen hours? I was surprised Laura's car survived the trip.

"Whatever," she muttered. "You can stay with her. I'll sleep in the car."

"Seriously?"

She looked extremely so as she handed me my bag.

"Laura, you can't just sleep in the car."

"Yes, I can. Watch me."

"What did you two even argue about?" I exasperated.

She shut her jaw again, her face set stubbornly, and I knew I wasn't going to get an answer tonight. Maybe Olivia would give me an answer.

"You're completely soaked," I tried.

No dice.

"I'll change in the car," she said.

"So you're just going to not shower the entire weekend?"

"Yep."

"That's gross."

"I don't care, Silva. I'm not talking to her."

I glared at her, but she merely turned in her seat and stared out the windshield. Laura crossed her arms, and I knew that was the end of the conversation. Sighing loudly so she knew I was annoyed by her immaturity, I opened the door and stepped into the pouring rain.

By the time I made it into the lobby, I was completely drenched. The receptionist gave me an apologetic look and opened his mouth.

I interrupted dryly, "You're all booked. I know. I'm staying with someone."

He smiled tightly in response, and I pulled out my phone to call Olivia.

"Let me guess," she began as soon as she picked up. "Laura finally decided to take up my offer?"

"Nope. Just me. What's your room number?" I stomped towards the elevators, only to be met with a sign that said both were out of order due to the storm.

Cursing, I searched for the stairs.

"Five fifty-seven," Olivia answered. "So she's gonna sleep where exactly?"

I found the stairs and angrily stomped up. "The car. What the hell happened between you two?"

"Nothing."

Great.

When I finally made it to the fifth level, I hung up on her. I was back in the city that I left ten years ago, drenched in rain water, about to share a hotel room with Charlotte's best friend while mine was having a hissy fit, and I still had no idea where Charlotte was.

Everything was fucking fantastic.

Olivia opened the door before I could knock, and a scowl was already on her face.

"Tell Laura the next time you see her to pick up her fucking cat," she snapped.

"What cat?" I exasperated. "She doesn't have a cat!"

"Oh!" Olivia barked out an angry laugh. "She didn't tell you about the cat?"

I dropped my bag and crossed my arms. "What. Happened."

"Nothing!" she exclaimed stubbornly, and I threw my head back and groaned.

Suddenly, the door behind me opened, and a pimpled, pubescent-looking guy poked his head out with a scowl. "Hey, some of us are trying to get some sleep here."

"Shut up!" Olivia and I shot his way.

His scowl deepened, but he didn't say anything else and shut the door in our faces.

I turned back to Olivia, who eyed my bag. "That's all you brought?"

"Well, I'm not planning on moving here. Speaking of which, what are you doing here? You don't seem like the gaming type."

Olivia scoffed. "Laura didn't tell you."

The two of them again!

"Tell me what?"

"I told her on the phone that I was taking a flight here to find Charlotte. Wait, so you had no idea I was coming at all?"

"No, Laura didn't --"

"Oh, great," Olivia groaned as her gaze fell behind me, and I turned to see Laura striding towards us, bag slung over her shoulders. Her face was calmer. Too calm.

"Security didn't like me camping in the car," was all she said, her eyes not straying from Olivia's glare at all.

"Well, I change my mind. I don't want you in my room," Olivia said.

I frowned. "What about me?"

"Jess, you're welcome to stay as long as Laura stays out."

Laura laughed dryly. "I forgot how fucking immature and entitled you were."

"Guys, come on," I interrupted before Olivia could counter. "Can we please just try to be civil for one night? Olivia, we'll be out of your hair by the morning, and you'll never have to see Laura ever again."

They both ignored me and continued to glare at each other.

"Laura. Olivia. Are you --"

"I want your cat gone," Olivia snapped.

Laura dumped her bag. "If you want her gone, then why don't you get rid of her?"

"I'm not going to just leave her in the fucking streets."

"So you do have a conscience!" Laura clapped sarcastically. "Congratulations. You're an actual human being."

Olivia stepped forward, her face twisting angrily. "You're a fucking asshole."

"And you're a fucking bitch. What else is new?"

"Guys!" I shouted.

The door behind me opened again, and this time the guy stepped out and shouted, "Will you all shut the fuck up!"

Laura spun around, and all traces of calmness was stripped away as she lunged towards him. "What the fuck did you say?"

His eyes widened in fear, and I grabbed Laura's arm and yanked her back before she could reach for him. He scrambled back into his room and shut the door.

"Laura, calm down!" I snapped.

She yanked her arm out of my grip with a huff. "He was asking for it."

"It is almost midnight, and we are being loud," Olivia said dryly. "You don't have to beat up everyone who annoys you."

Laura turned back to her, eyes sharpening again, but then Olivia widened the door and stepped back.

"Fine, whatever. Come in," she said and then pointed a look in Laura's direction. "Both of you."

I picked up my bag, but Laura didn't move.

"I'll take my chances in the rain," she gritted.

I opened my mouth to scold her, but Olivia took care of it instead.

"Stop being stubborn, and just get in here." Then Olivia crossed her arms and shifted on her feet. "You'll get sick if you stay in those clothes."

I glanced over at Laura, who clenched her jaw. Without giving her a chance to argue again, I picked up her bag and brought it into the room with me. A moment later, I heard her footsteps follow me in, and then Olivia closed the door behind us.

Finally.

"There's only one bed," Laura said stiffly.

"Well, yeah. Why would I need to book a room with two beds?" Olivia replied.

"I'll take the floor."

"Don't be ridiculous. It's a king size. It will fit all of us."

"I'm not sharing the same bed as you."

"You act like I want to do the same."

Having heard enough of their bickering, I dropped Laura's bag on the floor, took mine with me into the bathroom, and shut the door. I could still hear them, but they were all muffled now. After stripping out of my wet clothes, I hopped into the shower for a quick wash.

By the time I finished, the muffling was gone. There was only silence now.

Olivia was lying on the bed, eyes closed, while Laura stood at the balcony door, staring out at the rain. She didn't say a word as she brushed past me, picked up her bag, and stepped into the bathroom. The door quietly clicked shut.

I eyed Olivia, who remained unmoving. Whatever they were fighting about, it seemed like it got worse, but I didn't have the energy to confront either of them about it. Besides, they probably wouldn't tell me anything.

Setting the bag down in a corner, I rummaged through my belongings until I found Charlotte's letter, untouched from the rain. Breathing out a relieved sigh, I tucked it back in the bag and turned towards the bed. There was a thick sheet spread out on the ground on my side, and a blanket and pillow laid neatly on top of it. It seemed like Laura was serious about sleeping on the floor.

I climbed into the bed, and after settling under the warm blankets, I closed my eyes. Charlotte was the only thought in my mind until I fell asleep.

----------------

Olivia's yelling woke me up. I peeled my eyes open to see her standing outside the bathroom door, pounding on it.

"What the hell is taking you so long?" she yelled. "You better not be taking a shit in there!"

I sat up on the bed and rubbed my eyes. "What's going on?"

She spun towards with wide, angry eyes. "She's been in that bathroom for nearly an hour doing who the fuck knows what?"

Frowning, I threw the blanket off of me and began to slide off the bed, but then the bathroom door swung open, letting out a gust of steam. Laura was fully dressed in the same joggers and tee she slept in last night, and she didn't say anything as she stepped out.

"Are you serious?" Olivia snapped. "What the fuck were you doing in there?"

Laura didn't answer. Her face was a mask of coolness as she walked over to her set-up last night and began to fold up the blankets. Scoffing, Olivia stepped into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah."

I eyed her warily, but nothing in her expression or mannerisms gave her away.

"I was thinking we head to Charlotte's house," she said. "You can just stay in the car. I'll knock, see if she's around or if anyone knows anything."

The thought of returning to that house sent a shiver through me, and it was a cold reminder that I wasn't in Savannah anymore. I told myself I was never going to come back here, and here I was.

"Do you remember where her house is?" Laura asked, pulling me back into the present.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Okay." Laura set the blankets and pillow neatly on the end of the bed. "Lets start there, then."

She turned, but I quickly grasped her hand. Touching her, I could see how tense she was. Laura half-turned.

"Are you really okay?" I asked again.

"I'm fine, Jess." She pulled her hand away and walked to her bag. "The sooner we can find Charlotte and get out of here, the better."

"I'm sorry I dragged you out here."

This time, she turned to look at me, and her expression softened. "You didn't drag me anywhere. I wanted to come."

"Yeah, but something's bothering you. If it's Olivia, then --"

"It's not Olivia. Yeah she's annoying, but it's..." Laura dropped her gaze and let out a low sigh. "Today's Halloween."

The guilt that hit me felt a lot like being dropped in ice water. Immediately, I slid off the bed and rushed towards her. Any restraint left in Laura's body left when I threw my arms around her, and she trembled against me.

"I'm sorry, Laura. I should have realized."

"It's okay. I should be over it by now, but --"

"Don't do that. Don't dismiss yourself," I scolded gently and felt her body sagged even more. "Do you want to head back?"

She pulled away, glaring. "Don't use this as an excuse to back out."

"I'm not!" I exclaimed. Laura didn't look like she believed me, and I grasped her shoulders and squeezed them firmly. "Laura, I swear I'm not. I know today's a hard day for you, and I just want to make sure you'll be okay."

She shifted uncomfortably on her feet, but the corner of her lips twitched. "I'll be okay, Jess."

I examined her face, and she managed a quiet laugh and nudged me away.

"Seriously, Silva. You're too much sometimes," she said but smiled genuinely now. "Besides, running around to look for your girlfriend will be a good distraction."

"She's not my girlfriend," I muttered and couldn't keep the tinge of bitterness out of my tone.

Her face softened, and she opened her mouth but the bathroom door opened. Olivia stepped out, her body wet and wrapped in a towel. She glanced between the both of us before settling on Laura with a sharp glare. Laura's face hardened again, and she turned away.

Great.

----------------

The car ride was a silent war zone.

Olivia insisted on going with us despite Laura's objections until Olivia reminded us that she knew Charlotte way longer. She wasn't wrong, but it didn't make me any less bitter about it.

The house was half an hour away, but it felt like the longest car ride of my life. Olivia insisted on the alternative radio station, but Laura wanted rock. All I wanted was peace and silence, but instead, another petty argument exploded between them again. In the end, I got the silence once they stopped, but it wasn't peaceful at all.

When we arrived at the house, a wave of nostalgia and apprehension filled me all at once as I stared at the house that had looked so impressive and big to me as a teenager. It was still big and impressive, but I didn't care much for it at all anymore.

Laura made sure to park further away from the front, and as she and Olivia opened the car doors, I slid further down in my seat, shielding myself.

"Aren't you coming?" Olivia asked.

"She doesn't need to," Laura answered, saving me from making up an excuse. "Don't wanna crowd the door."

Olivia frowned, and I avoided her gaze. Before she could comment further, Laura stepped out of the car and slammed the door shut, and Olivia followed right after. I breathed out an air of relief.

From this angle, I couldn't see much of the front door, which was ideal, but it made me more anxious. Was her father home? Was James?

It didn't take long for Laura and Olivia to return to the car, and seeing the disappointed looks on their faces, I knew we didn't have a lead at all.

"Their maid said Charlotte hasn't come home at all since she moved to Savannah," Olivia said as Laura pulled away from the house.

When I could no longer see the house, the tightness in my chest lightened.

"So where was she staying when she came here a couple of months ago?" I asked.

"A hotel?" Laura guessed.

"There's a woman," Olivia said. "Maeve. I met her a couple of times whenever I came over for the holidays with Charlotte."

My body stilled at the mention of Maeve, and I felt Laura shoot me a glance.

"Would she stay there?" Laura asked.

"It's highly possible," Olivia answered. "She seemed to prefer being there than at home ever since her mom passed."

"Jess?" Laura prompted, and I reluctantly turned to face her. She glanced at me worriedly.

"We can try there," I said quietly.

"Are you sure?"

Olivia leaned forward from the back. "Um, why wouldn't she be?"

"Shut up, Olivia."

"You shut up."

"I'm sure," I answered, interrupting their bickering before it could go on.

Without another word, Laura handed me her phone, and I typed in the address. Even after all these years, I never forgot, and when the address was all typed out and the destination set, my stomach rolled anxiously.

-----------

"You don't have to come in," Laura said after parking the car.

My gaze was stuck on Maeve's house. I was struck by how familiar but also different it looked. Some of the homes had been remodeled to look newer, but Maeve's house still looked the same.

Flowers bloomed around the house, and the grass was kept neatly trimmed as it was ten years ago. My eyes trailed up to the window that had been my bedroom, and a pang shot through my chest.

The front porch where Maeve greeted me for the first time looked worn down, the white paint chipped away from the long years, but it looked welcoming all the same. Her bench swing was still there. It was where she sat in the early mornings with a cup of coffee as she watched the sun rise. Sometimes, I would come back on my runs and sit there with her.

The bench was where she was sitting when she waited for me to arrive for the first time. Despite my refusal to let her into my life, she had somehow wormed herself into the heart of a hostile orphan girl with her caring words and unwavering patience.

"Okay, what's going on?" Olivia asked, reeling me back from the past. "Why are you both acting so weird?"

Laura turned in her seat to glare at her. "Olivia, for once in your life, can you just fucking --"

"I want to go in by myself," I said. They both snapped their attentions back to me, but I continued to stare at the house, my resolve growing. "I need to do this."

"Okay," Laura exhaled.

"I'm so fucking confused," Olivia said and threw her hands up, but she slouched back in her seat and crossed her arms.

Before I could sit it out and let my nerves get to me, I opened the door and stepped out. Already, I knew Charlotte wasn't here. Only one car sat in the driveway, and it wasn't hers.

Still, I was already here, and I had made Maeve wait long enough. An apology and gratitude was long overdue.

The door chime was still the same when I rung it, and tears rushed to my eyes at the sound of it. I quickly pushed it down, but it all came back when the door swung open and the same warm and familiar face greeted me as it did eleven years ago.

Maeve squinted, and then her eyes widened. "Jess?"

I shifted on my feet, forcing myself to hold her gaze. "Hey, Maeve."

She didn't look much different from ten years ago. Her hair had almost greyed out entirely and wrinkles lined her face, but other than that, her eyes were still filled with the same warmth.

Then her lips formed a smile. "I knew you would come back."

Tears falling, I rushed towards her. Towering over her by a couple of feet now, I had to bend down to wrap my warms around her. I felt her body's thinness and fragility, then.

"Welcome back, sweet girl," she whispered.

"I'm sorry." Tears poured through my eyes, and I buried my face into her hair.

She rubbed my back soothingly. "It's alright, Jess. I'm just glad you're okay."

"I'm sorry for leaving, Maeve. I'm so sorry."

More tears rushed down my face as I cried into her shoulder, but Maeve's voice was still so warm as she cooed reassurances in my ear.

"I never once resented you for leaving, you hear me? I knew you had your reasons, and while I was worried that you were out there all alone, I never hated you. It made me love you more," Maeve said, and I pulled back to look at her. Her expression softened even more, and she wiped away my tears. "You've grown into such a beautiful woman."

"Please," I laughed through my blubbering tears. "I still dress the same."

Maeve laughed as well and then pulled me back into the hug.

"I never got to tell you this, but thank you for taking me in," I murmured after a while. "Thank you for looking after me and caring for me. I knew it couldn't have been easy dealing with me."

"Oh, honey. You were perfect." Emotion welled up in her voice, and she squeezed me tighter. "I wouldn't have wanted you any other way, Jess."

"Even after I called you a bitch?"

"Even then. You were an angry kid, and I couldn't fault you for it." Her tone grew lighter, amused. "But try that now, and I won't be so forgiving."

I chuckled. "Noted."

"Did you bring someone with you? They keep looking at us from your car."

I glanced back, and sure enough, Laura and Olivia were staring straight at us.

"One of them looks a lot like one of Charlotte's friend," Maeve said with a tinge of suspicion, and I pulled out of the hug to look at her.

"About that." I rocked on my heels, and her brows raised questioningly. "We came here to look for Charlotte."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"I moved to Savannah ten years ago, and I reconnected with Charlotte when she moved there a couple of months ago," I quickly explained. "She and I, um, anyways. She disappeared yesterday, and we thought she might have come here?"

The surprise was replaced by understanding, and she nodded. "She told me you two reconnected."

I paused, mulling over her words, and then, "She did?"

Maeve smiled. "Why don't you invite your friends in? I made lasagna."

"Maeve..."

She gave me a look that silenced me completely. "Jess, you know better than to let your friends wait in the car. Besides, we have a lot of catching up to do."

"I really need to find Charlotte."

"Oh, she'll be back in the morning."

I grew still, and Maeve smiled amusedly. "So she was here?"

Maeve nodded. "She's been staying in your room. She always does when she stays here."

"Oh." I shifted on my feet. "So where is she now?"

Maeve patted my shoulder and then turned back into the house. "Invite your friends in, and we'll talk."

Releasing a sigh, I turned back to the car, and Laura poked her head out the window. Olivia poked her head out from the window behind her, and Laura turned. Their bickering began again, and I facepalmed.

-------------

"Maeve, this is the best lasagna I've ever had," Laura mumbled through her second serving.

"Ew, gross. Don't talk with food in your mouth," Olivia scolded, and Laura stuck her tongue out at her. Olivia's face scrunched up in disgust.

Maeve laughed. "Thank you, Laura. I'm glad to know my cooking still holds up."

"It's amazing, Maeve," I reassured her, and she smiled.

"Sooo, you were Jess's foster mom?" Olivia asked as she glanced between Maeve and I. "How come Charlotte never told me that."

"There goes her entitlement again," Laura scoffed, and Olivia directed a glare towards her. "Not everyone has to tell you everything, you know."

"Why don't you eat your food in silence and let the adults talk?" Olivia snapped.

I groaned. "For god's sakes, can you both please stop bickering? Maeve, this is why I didn't want to invite them in."

"Oh, hush," Maeve waved me off with a smile. "They're fine. Just a lover's quarrel, I assume?"

Laura nearly spat out her food and slapped a hand over her mouth while Olivia straightened in her seat.

"We are not together," Olivia bristled.

"Yeah, I'll hug a cactus before I get with her," Laura said as she wiped her mouth.

"I feel sorry for the cactus."

"I feel sorry for anyone in your proximity."

Maeve's laughter stopped their bickering, and I dropped my face in my hands exhaustingly.

"For two people who insist on not liking each other, you both sure fight like a married couple," Maeve said.

They opened their mouths.

"Don't even think about it," I stopped them with the meanest glare I could muster. Laura clamped her mouth shut, and Olivia slouched back in her seat.

Maeve turned back to me, her brows lifting with an impressed look.

Now that the girls were fed, I decided to get straight to the point before they launched into another argument.

"Maeve, where's Charlotte?" I asked.

Rather than answer right away, she leaned back and examined me. I shifted in my seat and glanced over at the girls. Laura continued scarfing down her lasagna while Olivia merely gave me a shrug.

"She went to go see her dad," Maeve finally answered and then stood up, grabbing my empty plate. "Do you want another serving?"

"But we went to her house, and her maid said she hasn't been home at all."

"She went to the cabin," Olivia answered this time, and my entire body stiffened. "Mr. Simmons goes there every other weekend."

Maeve didn't look away from me, and I couldn't look away either. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Flashes of my one and only time at the cabin flipped through my mind, filling my chest with pressure, suffocating me.

"Jess?" Laura's hand fell on mine.

Her touch was enough to make me move again, but I launched out of my seat and yanked my hand away.

"I need a breath," was all I could manage to say before I turned and headed for the door.

Behind me, chairs scraped against hardwood floor, followed by rushed murmurs. I ignored them all. My feet propelled me forward, and when I finally stepped outside, I sucked in air. My eyes fell closed, and tears pushed against it.

A moment later, I felt another presence beside me, and based on the quiet steadiness, I knew it was Maeve. Keeping my eyes closed, I tried to quiet my mind and calm my racing heart.

I focused on the sounds around me. The beeping of a car unlocking. Tires crunching on concrete. Soft chirping from birds. The creaking from Maeve's swinging bench.

Slowly, I peeled my eyes open again and swallowed a breath. When I turned to Maeve, she was already looking at me, and tears glistened in her eyes.

"Charlotte told me you have a son. She said he's ten?" Her tears held as she reached up and brushed my hair back from my face. I dropped my head. She cupped my cheek and gently lifted my face back up, and then her tears fell. "Did someone hurt you, my sweet girl?"

I fell forward, and her arms immediately wrapped around me, steady. Everything from ten years ago rushed out of me through broken sobs, and Maeve's embrace only grew tighter.

-----------------

JULY 18, 2014

"You know I can hear you, right?" Charlotte said without turning around.

I had been tip-toeing towards her but stopped, one foot hovering off the ground.

"You don't know who it is, though," I blurted out.

"Well, now I know for certain it isn't Jess," she countered sarcastically. "She would never announce herself so obviously."

Groaning in defeat, I made my way over to Charlotte and sat down beside her on the wooden platform. Charlotte's legs, bare and tan, dangled over the lake. I let mine do the same, leaned back on my palm, and turned to look at her.

"You're no fun," I muttered.

Her lips twitched into a smile, and I let my gaze linger on it.

"And what if you succeeded, and I fell in the water?" she asked.

"Then I'll jump in and rescue you."

"Jess, you can't swim."

I shrugged. "Then I guess we'll both drown together."

A soft laugh bubbled past her lips, and I grinned.

Charlotte nudged my shoulders with hers. "You know what we should do?"

"What?"

"Take a swimming class together."

"Hm."

The thought of getting into any body of water filled me with dread, but I didn't want to ruin the smile on her face.

She looked beautiful when she smiled.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw her fingers twitch closer, searching. Without hesitance, I slid my hand closer until it touched hers, and Charlotte's smile widened.

"I'm glad you decided to come," she said.

"Well, I don't remember it being my decision," I teased but then grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze to reassure her that I was glad I was here too.

"You know you would have missed me too much," she replied arrogantly. "I saved you from yourself, really."

I barked out a laugh. "Did you now?"

"Yep."

I brought her hand up and pressed it to my chest dramatically. "Charlotte, you're my savior."

"And don't you forget it." Her fingers twitched against mine as we smiled at each other, and I relaxed my grip.

Instead of pulling away, Charlotte extended her fingers and slid her hand around until it rested over my heart. It began to race under her touch, and I sucked in a quiet breath. My gaze slowly roamed her face, marking every freckle, every line, every part that was new and old.

James's voice cut through the air. "Mom said lunch is ready!"

I jerked away and glanced over my shoulder. He stood on the porch, hands in his pockets, and his gaze burning into me. A shiver ran through me.

"Finally," Charlotte said, snapping my attention back to her. "I'm starving."

"Oh, that's no good," I feigned worry. "How could we let Princess Charlotte starve? It's inconceivable. We should be burned at the stake for it."

"You're such an ass!" She shoved me playfully, and I laughed.

Naturally, I grabbed her hand, and Charlotte let me help her up. She didn't let go even as we stood and smoothed down her skirt with her other hand.

James was still waiting for us when we arrived at the cabin.

"Took you two long enough," he muttered.

Charlotte scowled. "Shut up, James."

His gaze settled on me, and I leveled it with mine. It always threw me off how exact his eyes were to Charlotte's, but whereas hers held warmth, his were always cold. They were even colder now.

"After you, ladies," he said, brandishing his arms exaggeratedly towards the door.

Charlotte scoffed softly and moved pushed through the door. I followed her, but he moved forward at the same moment, brushing our shoulders together. Surprised, I stumbled over the threshold, letting go of Charlotte's hand. James caught me by the shoulders, and I stiffened from his strong grip.

Then he leaned in, his mouth brushing my ear. "You keep tripping around me, Jess. I'm beginning to think it's intentional."

I yanked myself away from him and clenched my fists. "Don't be delusional."

He chuckled but stepped back, and I shot him one last glare before stepping inside. My body was still wound with tension as I sat down beside Charlotte at the table, but I plastered on a smile when Grace set my plate down in front of me.

"Thank you, Grace."

She gave my shoulder a soft squeeze. "You're very welcome, Jess."

Daniel stepped out of the bathroom, fresh out of a shower. As he sat down at the table, his eyes barely passed over me before settling on his wife. Grace set his plate down and leaned in to peck his lips lovingly. His gaze lingered on her as she moved around the kitchen, and there was a rare softness in his expression. Feeling my gaze, he turned to meet it, his face hardening again, and I quickly looked away. My cheeks heated from being caught, and I dug into the food.

"It looks like it's getting ready to rain later," James said as he stepped inside and closed the door.

I glanced out the window, and sure enough, the sky looked like it was getting darker.

Charlotte groaned disappointingly. "I wanted to do smores tonight."

"We can just do it at the fireplace," Daniel said.

"It's not the same."

James rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a brat."

She shot her brother a glare. At that moment, Grace stepped back into the dining room and slid into the seat beside her husband.

"Why don't we bake cookies tonight?" she suggested, and Charlotte perked up beside me.

"I'm good," James droned. "Can't we just watch a movie or something?"

"You're camping in the woods, and you want to watch a movie? Who's being a brat now?" Charlotte retorted.

"You two keep arguing, and it's going to be complete silence by ten," Daniel interrupted.

Grace laughed softly, her voice mellow and peaceful, and everyone's attention shifted to her.

She turned her gaze to me. "Why don't we let Jess decide since she's the guest. Jess, what would you like to do?"

I stiffened just as James groaned, "That's not fair. She's just going to pick what Charlotte wants to do."

"No she's not!" Charlotte snapped at him and then quickly turned to me, her gaze warm again. "Whatever you want, Jess. I promise."

Awkwardly, I looked around the table. James was glaring at me with his arms crossed while Grace continued to smile at me patiently. Daniel leaned back in his chair, glancing between Charlotte and I with a hard-to-read expression.

"Baking sounds fun," I finally answered.

James's glare sharpened, and I ignored it. I didn't care what he thought. The smile that lit up Charlotte's face was worth it.

"I'm going to remember my mom's recipe this time. I swear," Charlotte murmured excitedly in my ear, and I chuckled under my breath.

It wasn't the first time she said that, and I doubted tonight would be the last. She was always too focused on eating the cookie dough rather than following the recipe.

"James, you can watch a movie if you don't want to help us bake," Grace offered peacefully.

He finally broke his gaze from me and slouched in his seat. "Whatever."

-------------

It was nearing midnight as we lied in Charlotte's bed. Her head was resting on my lap, and her eyes were barely open. The sugar crash hit her hard, and she was trying hard to stay awake. I was leaning against the headboard, her palm open in my hand as I drew circles on it with my finger.

"You're making me sleepier," she complained. My finger paused, and she frowned. "I didn't tell you to stop."

Smirking, I continued, and Charlotte sighed as her eyes finally fluttered closed.

"So did you remember any of the recipe?" I asked, not wanting her to sleep yet.

Charlotte pursed her lips. "Yes."

"Which part?"

"Um..."

"Um? I don't remember that being part of the recipe."

"There's sea salt."

"Right." My lips twitched. "When was it added?"

Charlotte exhaled defeatedly. "Jess!"

"You're relentless," I laughed.

"Oh, shush," she murmured, but her lips stretched into a small smile as she relaxed again. "Hey, Jess?"

"Yes, Charlotte?"

"Do you think I would look good in blonde?"

I suppressed a laugh. "Why? You thinking of dyeing your hair?"

She pursed her lips. "Brown is boring."

"I like brown." Twirling a strand of her hair around my finger, I smiled. "But you would look good in anything."

Charlotte sighed. "I wish I could see what you look like."

My stomach fluttered, and having no response, I stayed quiet. Charlotte closed her eyes, and this time, I let her sleep. It didn't take long before her breaths evened out, and I let my finger relaxed against her palm.

Outside the bedroom, jazzy music played softly in the living room. I glanced back at Charlotte's sleeping face, and warmth filled my chest. Bringing her hand up to my lips, I pressed a feather of a kiss against her fingers before setting it down on the bed and shifted her head to rest on a pillow. She remained asleep, and I quietly left the room, turning the lights off behind me.

At the entrance of the hallway, James was leaning against the wall, his back to me. My body tensed up as it usually did in his presence, but as he glanced back at me, his expression was soft, relaxed even.

He nodded towards the living room, where he had been staring out at. I looked back at Charlotte's door, hesitating, but then soft laughter coming from the living room snapped my attention away.

James had returned his gaze to the living room, and I reluctantly walked to where he was but kept a gap between us.

The living room was lit by the fireplace, and dancing in front of it was Grace and Daniel. His face was the most relaxed I had ever seen him, and love radiated from his eyes when he leaned in to whisper something in his wife's ear. Grace's head tilted back as another laugh bubbled out of her, and Daniel grinned lovingly at her.

"They're so cheesy," James murmured, but when I glanced at his face, he was smiling.

Maybe he wasn't a complete asshole.

"You think you'll ever find a love like theirs?" he asked.

I looked back at his parents, and despite myself, I thought about Charlotte and the way she made me feel. Sometimes it felt like there was something between us, but I was never sure. We almost kissed once, I thought, or maybe I was just tricking myself into believing it.

"I don't know," I answered.

"He's only ever this happy around her," James mused. "I think he would burn the world for her."

I frowned at the thought. Daniel did give me that impression, and while his methods were unorthodox, I knew he would do anything to protect his family. He hired me to make his daughter happy, after all.

Grace, however, was the complete opposite. She was the light in her family and the glue that held them all together. She didn't need to go the extra length to make sure her family was happy because she was their happiness. Her smile alone disarmed Daniel, which was impressive enough in my eyes.

"I don't think she would want him to burn the world for her, though," I said.

James turned back to me, and I reluctantly met his gaze. His smile was genuine as he chuckled. "You might be right about that."

We stared at each other for a beat too long, and I began to feel his shift in energy. Shooting a final glance towards his parents, I began to turn back down the hallway, but then James stepped forward.

"Have you ever played chess?"

I gave him a wary look. "It's late."

He pouted. "Come on, Jess. I'm bored and can't sleep. You don't look sleepy either."

"I don't really like you," I said bluntly.

Rather than be offended, he grinned instead. "Really? I couldn't tell."

Scowling, I turned away. "I'm going to bed."

"Wait, wait, wait." He stepped in my path and held up a hand in peace. "Give me a chance."

"To do what exactly?"

He scratched his head awkwardly. "To show you I'm a decent guy?"

I gave him a dubious look. "By playing chess?"

"Or Uno," he offered. "I have that too."

I continued to stare at him, and he sighed.

"Look, you're clearly going to be around a lot, seeing as how Charlotte is basically glued to you," he said. I began to scowl, but then he continued, "We started off on the wrong foot, and it's my fault. I can be an egregious asshole, and I apologize. So why don't we start over? Play a round, make small talk, try to be friends?"

As much as I disliked him, he was right. I wasn't planning on unfriending Charlotte any time soon, and the thought of not having her in my life made me uneasy. This also meant I was going to see James a lot too, and we both hadn't given each other a chance.

To be fair, he was an asshole, but at least he acknowledged it. That was a start.

"Fine," I said. "One game of chess."

"And Uno?"

"Don't push it."

He merely grinned in response and headed towards his room. Letting out a sigh, I reluctantly followed, and swallowed tightly when he closed the door after I entered.

James pulled down his chessboard from his bookshelf, and I settled down on the floor beside his bed.

"We can sit on the bed," he offered.

I didn't move. "The floor is fine."

He merely shrugged and sat down across from me. Quietly, we set up the board. Then he shuffled the two queen pieces behind his back and then held them out towards me, hidden in each fists. I picked the white queen, so I started first.

"So how'd you and Charlotte meet?" he asked after I made my first move.

I snorted. "She cut herself on her glasses and got mad at me for trying to help."

James chuckled and made his first move. "Sounds a lot like my sister. She ever told you how she lost her vision?"

My fingers paused on the piece I was about to move, and I looked up at him. He kept his eyes on the board, though.

"No," I answered. "She didn't."

"Hm."

I waited, but he didn't say anything else. I moved my piece and decided to ask him something for a change.

"What got you kicked out of your first school?"

His lips twitched. "Charlotte told you about that?"

"She might have mentioned it."

"I put super glue all over the principal's chair."

"Seriously? That's it?"

"Hey, they had to cut his pants off to get him out!"

"Wow, you're a first class rebel, aren't you?"

He picked up my pawn, and I picked up his with another.

James wagged my pawn piece in my face. "You jest, but you would have laughed if you were there."

"Yeah, I would have been laughing at you."

"Okay, then. What's the most rebellious thing you've ever done?" he asked as he moved his knight.

I examined the board while thinking. "Probably the time I set a girl's backpack on fire."

He bursted out laughing. "For what?"

"She accused me of stealing her bracelet."

"And did you?"

I suppressed a smile. "Yeah."

He laughed again.

"It wasn't worth much anyway," I said.

When his laughter subsided, he reached under the bed as I made my next move. James pulled out a half-drunken bottle of tequila, and I paused.

"Want some?" he offered.

I shook my head. He unscrewed the cap, and took a swig.

"So I noticed you drink a lot," I said.

"And?" He made a blunder, and I took his knight.

"Is there a reason?"

James blew out a breath and then shrugged. "No."

I could tell he was lying, but I decided not to push. It was his business.

"Can I ask you something?"

I raised a brow. "I thought that was the point here."

"Do you like Charlotte?"

In the middle of moving my rook, I paused and looked up. James didn't look away from me as he pulled a longer chug from the bottle. My stomach squeezed uneasily.

"She's my best friend," I answered carefully. "Of course, I like her."

He set the bottle down and wiped his mouth. "You know that's not what I meant."

"I don't know how else you could mean it."

James scooted closer, and I leaned back. Tequila filled his breath and burned my nose, but James didn't move any closer and examined my face.

"What?" I asked uncomfortably.

Then he cracked a smile. "I'm trying to read your mind."

His response didn't give me any sense of relief at all. Feeling more uncomfortable as the seconds passed, I pushed myself up, and he frowned.

"We're not finished with the game," he said.

"I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

"Jess, wait." He quickly stood and grabbed my arm. I tried to pull away, but he closed the distance and backed me onto the bed.

Panic hit me all at once. "James, let me go."

"Why do you like her?" he murmured, his grip relentlessly strong.

I twisted and tried to kick him, but he held my leg down firmly with his other hand.

"James, let go," I pleaded.

"What does she have that I don't? Huh?"

"Please --"

He pressed his mouth against mine and shoved his tongue through my lips. Immediately, I bit him, and he reeled back. Blood coated his lips, and his face twisted. Any trace of niceness was gone.

Fear kicked in with panic, and no matter how much I fought, he was stronger, angrier.

I had felt helpless before, and I had felt alone even more.

But this?

This was hell.

---------------

Knees pulled to my chest, I watched the sun slowly rise in Charlotte's window. She was still asleep, but I felt the moment she woke up. Her fingers brushed my thigh, and I drew back. My skin still itched no matter how much I had scrubbed myself in the shower.

"Jess?" she mumbled sleepily, reaching out.

I stared at her hand, but I was unable to move. Her hand grew closer, and just before it could touch me again, I launched myself out of bed. Her lips pulled down into a frown as her eyes fluttered open. I caught the flash of hazel, and a shiver passed through me before I quickly turned away.

"I'm gonna go shower," I mumbled.

Charlotte sat up on the bed and brushed through her hair with her fingers. "Didn't you shower last night? I thought I heard you in there."

I stiffened. "Was that all you heard?"

"What do you mean?"

I searched her face, but she still looked confused. "Never mind."

She quickly slid off the bed as I began to move towards the door. "Hey, is everything okay? You sound off."

Tears suddenly rushed to my eyes, and I swallowed tightly. Charlotte stepped forward in my direction, her eyes searching, but I didn't move closer. I couldn't.

"Everything's fine, Charlotte."

"I don't believe you," she immediately said.

My tears fell, and I wiped them. "I couldn't sleep last night."

She frowned. "How come?"

"Too many cookies."

Charlotte didn't laugh. "Jess, seriously. Don't keep me in the dark."

"I'm not. I promise." The lie was bitter to swallow. "I'm just tired."

Her frown only deepened, and I knew nothing I said would be enough to convince her. Charlotte read me all too well.

Forcing myself to move, I strode towards Charlotte and pulled her into an embrace. Charlotte melted into my arms, and more tears fell from my eyes.

"I'm never letting you convince me to eat that much sugar ever again," I murmured, hoping that she couldn't hear the strain in my voice from crying.

It must have worked because she laughed, which sent a pang through my chest. "Hey, I slept just fine."

"You could sleep through a fire if you wanted to."

"That's fair."

Silence settled over us again, but I held her just a little bit longer. Charlotte never once complained.

--------------

OCTOBER 31, 2024

Lying on the swing with my head on Maeve's lap, her fingers stroking through my hair could have lulled me to sleep. I was exhausted enough after all of the crying, but my mind was still stuck on the past.

It took years for any sort of human touch to not terrify me anymore. The first time I tried to have sex again, it had been with Laura, and I had cried out of terror. After she had gotten me to calm down, everything spilled out of me. Instead of leaving or looking at me with disgust as I had feared, Laura gathered me back into her arms and held me all throughout the night.

Now, Maeve was the second person I told, and just like Laura, she didn't leave nor judged me.

For so long, I blamed myself for what happened. I knew I shouldn't have trusted him, and I should have never went into that room with him. I thought that I deserved what he did to me because of my naivety, and it only took half a decade for me to learn that no, it hadn't been my fault at all. I had been clear that night, but he had used Charlotte to manipulate me, to lower my defense. He ignored the boundary I drew, sweeping it away with his feet, and took me like it was his right, like I owed him something.

Because of him, I lost my home, and I lost Maeve and Charlotte, the two people who had made me feel loved for the first time in my life.

But now I was getting them back. I had my home in Noah and the girls, and now that I was with Maeve, I couldn't imagine leaving her again. And Charlotte?

Charlotte... I didn't know.

"Maeve?"

"Hm?"

I turned my head in her lap to look up at her, and she smiled down at me.

"Can I see my room?"

Her smile grew, and she nodded. "Of course. All of your things are still in there."

My chest swelled. "Thank you."

Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Welcome back, Jess."

------------

Stepping into my bedroom, it looked exactly the same as it did ten years ago. Besides the things I had taken with me, Maeve had not changed anything in the room at all.

Polaroids I had taken with Charlotte and Maeve were still pinned to the wall above the desk. There was one with Maeve in the kitchen, a hand stirring a pot while the other held up to shield her disapproving face from the camera. I grinned at that one. Then my eyes trailed to the one with Charlotte clinging onto me from behind as I attempted to take the photo, which ended up being too close and cropped the top of our heads.

I didn't remember that day, but I remembered the moment. I had been too focused on her hands around me and snapped the photo carelessly.

When I had packed to leave, I left all traces of them behind because I didn't want to be reminded of my guilt and everything I was leaving. Except, it was all catching up to me now.

My gaze trailed to a photo, half-buried under a pile of my old school books. I pulled it out, and my stomach squeezed. It was of Charlotte during the camping trip, on the day that we had arrived at the cabin. She was sitting on the wooden pier with the lake and the sun behind her. She had been in the middle of biting into the sandwich Grace had packed for us when I snapped the picture. The smile on her face filled me with warmth despite my lingering resentment.

I set the polaroid down and moved to the bed. Exhausted, I collapsed on it, face-down, and immediately, I was consumed by Charlotte's perfume on the pillow. Fresh tears pushed at my eyes as I inhaled her and wished more than anything that I could see her again.

Outside the bedroom, I heard soft bickering, and I stifled a laugh. They were relentless.

Turning onto my back, I propped the pillow against the headboard and leaned against it.

"You two can come in," I called out.

The bickering stopped, and a moment later, the door nudged open. Laura poked her head in and smiled sheepishly.

"Hey, we just wanted to check in," she said.

"What are you doing?" Olivia's voice came from behind her, and then she pushed past Laura to enter. "She said we can come in."

Laura scowled. "You lack boundaries."

"And you lack common sense. Obviously, Jess doesn't want to be alone."

Laura met my gaze again, and I gave a half-hearted shrug.

Olivia glanced around. "Huh. Charlotte never let me in here. I was expecting something weird."

"Nope." Suddenly self-conscious, I crossed my arms. "Just me and my punk rock phase."

Her eyes scanned the posters on my wall, and she smirked. Laura finally entered the room and sat down on the edge of my bed.

"You okay?" she murmured and rested a tentative hand on my ankle.

Submitting to a smile, I nodded.

Olivia suddenly gasped, and our attention snapped to her.

"No way! You had one of these?" she exclaimed and turned around with my white and black pair of Heelys.

Laura scoffed. "What, your soul-sucking mother deprived you of those too?"

The excitement left Olivia's face, and she set the shoes back on the rack.

"Yeah," she answered coldly.

Surprisingly, Laura looked guilty, but she clenched her mouth shut. I nudged her with my foot, and she turned to me and shrugged.

Olivia stopped browsing my room and leaned against my desk. "So should we head up to the cabin?"

"No," I answered immediately, and she quirked up a brow. Swallowing, I dropped my gaze. "I can't go back there."

I expected her to question me further, but Olivia surprised me by walking over to the bed and collapsing beside me. She crossed a leg over her knee and let out a loud sigh.

"The first time I met Charlotte, she almost ran me over with her bike."

Slowly, I raised my head and looked at her. Olivia wasn't looking at me but at her hands, yet a small smile was on her lips.

"She blamed it on me and said I came out of nowhere. We were arguing loudly, and campus security had to break us up. She told me later she had just learned how to ride a bike, but she was embarrassed to say that before." Olivia laughed quietly at the memory. "Anyways, it turns out we were heading for the same philosophy class, and there were only two seats left by the time we got there and it was next to each other.

"I thought it was going to be hell sitting next to her all semester, but as soon as class ended, she turned to me, apologized casually as if she had accidentally taken my pencil, and then asked to treat me to lunch to make up for it."

I pictured Charlotte sitting in a college class, her hair swept up in a high ponytail, and a look of detached professionalism as she tried not to let her guilt show. The thought brought a small smile to my face.

"What did you say?" Laura asked.

For a moment, Olivia remained quiet, and I thought she wasn't going to reply to Laura. But then she bit down on her lip to suppress another laugh.

"I told her to fuck off," she answered, and then we all bursted out cackling. "Her face was so red afterwards. I thought she was going to explode, but then she just picked up all of her stuff and left."

"So how did you two become friends?" I wheezed.

"Oh, you know Charlotte. She never gives up." Laugh subsiding, Olivia's face relaxed into a fond smile again. "She came in the next time we had class and offered me a cup of black coffee. She claimed that her intuition told her that we both had the same taste."

"Was she right?" I asked.

Laura snorted, and my eyes shot to her in question. She didn't say anything, though.

"No, I hate coffee," Olivia answered, and I laughed again. "But I didn't tell her that, and for two weeks straight, she brought me a different order of coffee each time. After that, I felt bad for her and finally told her I preferred tea."

"Let me guess. You didn't tell her which tea you liked," Laura mused.

Olivia smirked in response, and Laura grinned. Sensing a shift, I glanced between them warily.

"It took her another week to land on the right tea, but she thought I liked sugar and milk in mine."

Laura clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Rookie mistake. She should have asked for your moon, sun, and rising."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You didn't get it on the first try either."

"But I came pretty close."

"Mmm, the mint is my favorite part."

Laura opened her mouth to reply, but I leaned forward and interrupted, "Okay, what is going on?"

Their eyes met briefly before they both quickly looked away. I sat up straighter, my eyes widening.

"So you two did fuck!"

"No!" They both exclaimed, eyes snapping to me.

I crossed my arms. "I don't believe you."

"I would never sleep with her," Olivia said indignantly.

Pushing herself off the bed, Laura scoffed, "As if I would sleep with someone who snores like a fucking train."

"Excuse me?" Olivia leapt off the bed, her face twisted in anger. "Says the one who kicks too much in her sleep! You're lucky I didn't get any bruises, or I would have sued your ass."

Confused, I rubbed my face exhaustingly. "So did you or did you not sleep together?"

"We didn't!" They both snapped.

Giving up, I threw my hands up and leaned back to watch them.

"Fucking lawsuits. That's all your blood-sucking lawyers care about, huh?" Laura spat.

"Yeah, it pays the fucking bills," Olivia retorted. "If you actually worked for something in your life, you would know what that's like."

"Oh, condescending as always! You think you're better than everyone, don't you? Just like your mom."

Olivia stepped forward, her expression darkening. "Well, I'm a whole lot better than you. At least I don't go around beating people up for no fucking reason!"

My eyes widened at the exact same time Laura stepped forward, her hands clenching into fists. I immediately stood up and pushed in between them.

"Enough!" I snapped. "Both of you!"

"What, are you going to hit me too?" Olivia egged. "Think only with your fists and fuck all else?"

"Olivia, stop," I seethed, but she didn't tear her gaze away from Laura's.

"You wanna know why I beat him up?" Laura asked lowly, and I turned to her in alarm. Her expression was cold, but unchecked anger laced her voice. I had never seen her so angry before. Not like this.

"Enlighten me," Olivia scoffed, crossing her arms.

Laura moved a step closer. My hands tensed, and I was prepared to hold her back.

"Your 'friend?' He's the reason my sister killed herself."

I stiffened, and beside me, I felt Olivia do the same, her arms falling to her side.

"He's out there living his life as if he didn't manipulate my sister and ruin her life." Her voice tightened. I reached out to comfort her, but she stepped away. "She would have been thirty this year, but instead, she's forever stuck at sixteen. And because of him, everyone will always remember her as the stupid girl who sent pictures of herself to a guy who doesn't remember her."

Her tears fell, and she quickly wiped them away.

I stepped towards her. "Laura --"

Spinning on her heels, she marched out of the room. I immediately turned to Olivia, who stared at the door, her face stunned.

"Tell me everything," I demanded, and she turned to me, blinking. "Now."

Something which looked a lot like guilt filled her expression, and she ran her fingers through her hair.

"We went out to a bar, and everything was fine. Then Kalon, one of my friends -- well," She frowned. "Anyways, he showed up, and Laura started to freak out. She punched him and wouldn't stop. Security had to pull her off of him, and they called the police."

My eyes widened. Why hadn't Laura said anything?

"They arrested her for assault, and she was in there for two days. She didn't call anyone, and she wouldn't let me call you. I bailed her out, and I convinced Kalon to not press charges in exchange for a big favor. She got mad at me, said a bunch of things that didn't make sense at the time, and then just disappeared."

Backing up, I sat back down on the bed and rubbed my face exhaustingly.

"I didn't know," Olivia said.

Dropping my hands in my lap, I met her guilt-ridden eyes again. "Laura can be a lot sometimes, and I know she can be abrasive. But she's a good person. She's loyal and annoyingly protective, and she has a lot of heart even though she likes to disguise it with humor."

"I know," she replied quietly.

"She's never hit anyone before. She's never been a violent person, but her sister..." Emotions swirled inside me, and I cleared the lump in my throat. "Laura was the one who found her. She was only twelve."

Olivia dropped her gaze as her lips tightened.

"You didn't know," I appeased. "But you should still apologize. Both of you should."

"I suck at apologies."

"I know." I looked at her pointedly. "So it will really mean a lot if you apologized."

She released a sigh and glanced over at the door. "I'll do it. Eventually."

It was better than nothing. I stood up again. "Lets go see if she's still here."

We found Laura sitting outside on the bench swing with Maeve. They were both drinking sweet tea and laughing about something, but then Laura's smile disappeared the moment she saw Olivia.

"We should head back to the hotel," I said before the awkwardness could settle.

Maeve's smile faded as well, which shot a pang of guilt through me. "I have a guest room and the couch in the living room if you girls want to stay here instead. It will save you the trouble of paying for an extra night there."

I shook my head with an apologetic smile. "I don't want to bombard Charlotte when she gets back. We'll come back tomorrow after she's settled, but can you not tell her we were here? I don't want to give her the chance to run."

The smile returned to her face, and she nodded. "My lips are sealed."

"Thank you, Maeve. I really appreciate it."

She stood up and pulled me into a hug, and I returned it gratefully.

As I pulled away from the hug, I saw Olivia step towards Laura, her face apologetic, but then Laura stood and stepped around her. Olivia's face fell.

Knowing how stubborn they were, I knew it was going to be a long night.

-------------

I hated to say it, but I might have preferred it when Olivia and Laura were bickering pettily. Now, it was just complete silence between them, and the tension was thick and suffocating. On the ride back, I tried to get them to talk, but they only responded to me.

When we got back to the hotel, Olivia went straight to the bar downstairs while Laura followed me back to the room and stepped out onto the balcony. I tried to get her to talk to me, but she remained silent. She had been there since then.

Leaving them both to dwell, I decided to take a long shower to unwind from the long day. I hadn't expect to face so much of my past coming here, but a small part of me was relieved. Especially since I got to reconnect with Maeve.

After finishing, I collapsed into the bed and called Noah. He was in the middle of walking Nox with Alex and Sadie, and I smiled when he turned the camera on so that I was a part of it.

"Make sure to clean up after him," I reminded when Nox squatted over.

Noah groaned. "Mom, we know."

Sadie poked her head into the camera. "Actually, I forgot the doggy bag." I narrowed my eyes, but then she flashed a grin and held up the roll. "Just kidding!"

Alex's voice joined in the background. "Yeah, Jess. We can be responsible!"

"I would hope so," I replied dryly. "Considering you're watching my son."

"How's Atlanta?" Sadie asked.

"It's going," I answered vaguely, not wanting to say too much in front of Noah.

But then he interrupted, "Hey, Mom?"

"What's up?"

He was quiet for a moment before speaking up again. "It's okay if you and Charlotte break up."

I sat up on the bed. "What do you mean?"

Noah shrugged but wouldn't look at the camera. Behind him, Sadie exchanged a worried look with Alex.

"You said that we should sometimes let people go even if we don't want to," he said. "If Charlotte's not happy with us, then shouldn't we let her go?"

I squeezed my phone, wishing that I was there with Noah so I could hug him tightly. I wished I could tell him that Charlotte was happier with us. I wished I could take away the disappointment on his face, but the fact was that she left.

She left, and Noah knew that she did.

"I miss you," was all I could say.

He attempted a half-smile, but it quickly fell. "I miss you too, Mom."

It finally hit me after I got off the call. My relationship with Charlotte was bigger than just the two of us. Not only was she with me, but she was with Noah as well. He had grown attached to her, and he saw her as an extension of his family. He wanted her to marry me, to be a part of his version of forever.

But then she left with no explanation. At least, not a substantial one. It wasn't just once but twice now.

Even if she came back with me, was she going to pack her bags and leave again when things got tough? Was I going to keep chasing her while my son sat at home, alone and confused?

I didn't want that future for him. I didn't want that future for myself.

Once I found her, I knew what I was going to do.

Settling into bed again, I nodded to myself, resolute and clear-minded for the first time since she left.

That opportunity arrived sooner than I expected. It was dark outside when I was jerked awake by Maeve's phone call. It was just past midnight, and I pressed the phone to my ear, my mind still groggy.

"I don't know how she found out, but Charlotte knows that you were here. She's packing her bags," Maeve immediately said.

Without hesitance, I told her I would be there soon and hung up. I sat up and then quickly turned when I felt more than one presence in bed.

Laura was asleep beside me, and on her other side, Olivia was cuddled to her chest, head resting on her arm. I rubbed my eyes, not believing the sight, but they were still there.

What the hell happened while I was asleep?

I didn't give myself time to process it. There was no time because I had to get to Charlotte before she disappeared again.

Not bothering to change, I grabbed Laura's keys and rushed out the door. Since it was late, there was no traffic on the way there, and I got there in less than thirty minutes.

To my relief, Charlotte's car was still there, and the porch light switched on as soon as I parked behind her car, blocking her in.

Maeve already had the door opened when I exited the car.

"She's still packing in your room," she said when I stepped inside. "I stalled her for as long as I could."

"Thank you, Maeve." I gave her a quick hug before making my way to the bedroom.

The door was slightly ajar, and the lights spilled out into the dark hallway. I heard rummaging inside, and I let myself take a breath before I pushed the door open and stepped in.

Charlotte had her back to me as she shoved her clothes into a suitcase. She hadn't heard me, and I couldn't bring myself to say anything yet. I just watched her, mustering up the will, and then she turned and froze.

Seeing her again, I expected to feel the rush of anger that had taken over me when I found the letter in bed. Instead, a pang of pain filled my chest at seeing her swollen and dark eyes. There was no light in them, no life.

"This is my room," I said lamely. Her eyes flickered to her suitcase, and I followed her gaze. "I know I was the first to run, but you've surpassed me at this point."

"I told you not to look for me," she whispered.

"Yeah, you did." Stepping further into the room, I crossed my arms. "Everyone keeps telling me that I should let you go. Even Noah."

Her face crumpled with emotion, and she dropped her gaze.

"I think I came here looking for you with the intention of asking you to come back." My eyes trailed back to her packed suitcase, and I shook my head as a wave of hurt crashed through me. "But I don't trust that you won't run away again, and do you know how much it hurts that I can't even trust you anymore? I love you, Charlotte. I let you into my life and into Noah's life, and you left."

She remained silent, and my anger lashed out. "You don't have anything to say? Nothing at all?"

I was met with more silence, and a humorless laugh escaped my mouth.

"You know what, Charlotte? Fuck you," I spat. "'Forever and eternally yours?' What a fucking load of bullshit. If you loved me, you would stay. You would accept my love and let me give you my all."

"I do love you!" she blurted out, and as she snapped her head up, her eyes were lit with indignation. "You think I wanted to leave? It took every will for me to leave your side!"

"Then don't leave!" I exasperated, taking a step towards her. "Fucking stay if you love me, and stop running away! Why is that so hard?"

"You tell me, Jess," she snapped. "You're the one who left first."

My body stilled, and a wave of coldness swept over me. "You said you didn't care about that anymore."

"Why did you leave, Jess?" she asked. "Tell me, and I'll tell you exactly why I left."

I scoffed. "You can't be serious."

She nodded as if she expected my response. "Yeah, I didn't think so."

"You said that the past didn't matter anymore!" I exploded. "And now you're back-peddling? Do you see why it's so hard to trust you when everything you say turns out to be a fucking lie?"

"The past is all that matters!" she shouted back. "You leaving -- I --" She rubbed her hands down her face, and when they fell away, the fight left her eyes, leaving only exhaustion. "I meant everything I wrote in that letter. None of it is a lie, and everything I said and felt for you over the last few months have been nothing but sincere. I love you, Jess, and I don't think I will ever not love you. But we can't be together."

"Because I left," I said emptily.

She didn't answer, but she didn't have to. Everything she said before had told me enough.

"Did you at least go see a doctor?" I asked. She looked away, and my frown deepened. "If you're not going to do it for yourself, then at least do it for the person who helped you gain your vision back. At least try."

Finally, she moved, but it was merely to turn back to her suitcase and continue packing.

"I'll go first thing on Monday," she muttered.

Nodding, I turned towards the door. But as I reached the threshold, a core memory hit me hard, and I stopped. My hand reached out to grab the door frame, and I half-turned.

A lump formed in my throat, but I swallowed past it. "Ten years ago at the cabin, your brother asked me something."

Her hands stilled, but she didn't turn.

I continued, "Your parents were dancing together in the living room. It was the first time I've ever seen two people look at each other with so much love, and I never thought your dad, who was the scariest person I've ever met, could look so... soft." My hand slid down the frame, and I fully turned to look at her again. "James asked me if I thought I would ever find a love like your parents'. You know you were the first person I thought of?"

She didn't respond, but at this point, I wasn't expecting her to anymore.

"Even without knowing there was any possibility of us ever being together, I pictured us dancing together in front of the fireplace. I pictured you in my future." Tears pushed against my eyes, and I let them fall. There was no point in holding them back. "I didn't leave you because I wanted to. I left because at the time, I was running away from something. It has never been because of you. It was because I was scared, and I felt like I was doing the right thing by leaving. If I knew it was going to take away that future of us being together, then I never would have left. I would have stayed."

I wiped my tears. "But it's too late now because I ran, and because of that, you can't forgive me."

Charlotte remained standing there with her back turned.

It was over.

I was done.

Turning back towards the door, I walked straight out.

-----------------

Maeve was reluctant, but in the end, she gave me the carton of eggs. There was only half a dozen left, but I made it count.

Two for her windshield, two for the driver's door, one for the other side, and one for the back.

Afterwards, my heart was still heavy, but my anger had been slightly appeased.

"Do you feel better?" Maeve asked as she eyed Charlotte's car.

I looked up at my bedroom window. "No. Do you have a bat?"

"I'm not giving you a bat to destroy her car, Jess."

"At least then she won't be able to leave right away."

She didn't laugh. Instead, she stepped in front of me, her brows furrowing in concern. "Why won't you tell her the truth?"

I looked away. "I can't."

"You told me."

"You're different. He wasn't your family."

Her voice softened. "Are you scared she won't believe you?"

I shook my head, and despite my resolve, my tears returned. "I'm scared that she will, and she'll lose the only family she has left."

"Oh, honey." Maeve wrapped her arms around me, and I buried my face in her shoulder, crying once again. God, I was so tired of crying. "You have to give her that choice."

"I don't want to. I'm mad at her."

"Then you're prepared to let her walk away? You won't have any regrets?"

"I don't know," I muttered. "That's why you should give me your bat, so I can delay her and have more time to think."

Maeve chuckled quietly.

"I don't think there's any version of a happy ending for us," I finally admitted. It hurt, voicing it aloud. "Even if I tell her the truth, and she believes me, she'll lose her family. If she doesn't believe me, then she'll hate me, and we'll be worse off than now. Not to mention, in both scenarios, her dad will hunt me down and take everything I have. Noah will be hurt in the process, and I don't want that for him."

She grew quiet, and in the silence, I grew more firm in my belief. There was no happy ending for Charlotte and I. There never was, and I had been delusional to ever think there could be.

"You can tell her I egged her car." I pulled away and squared my shoulders, trying to make myself feel stronger than I actually felt.

"I still think you should tell her the truth," Maeve said. "You never know what could come out of it."

I did know, though.

"I'll make sure to visit often," I told her. "I'll bring Noah next time. You'll love him."

Maeve sighed at my deflection but pushed a smile on her face, and I did the same. Like Sadie said, today was going to be hard, and tomorrow will be too but less. I just had to put one foot in front of the other each day and keep moving.

And that was what I'll do.

------------

It was Monday, and everyone was checking out.

"This is ridiculous," I huffed when I saw the line at the front desk.

I turned around when there was no reply and scoffed. Laura and Olivia were typing quickly on their phones, but they were glancing up at each other with secretive smiles.

"Hey!" I snapped my fingers in their faces, and they both looked at me with wide, guilty eyes. "Do we really have to wait in that line to check out?"

Pocketing her phone, Laura slung her arm around my shoulders. "It's not too bad. They have two people behind the desk."

"They need more."

Laughing, she guided me towards the back of the line, and Olivia followed. I felt them glance at each other again. I wasn't sure who apologized first, but at least they weren't at each other's neck anymore.

Though, their flirting was even weirder.

"I still can't believe you egged her car," Laura cackled.

Olivia frowned. "I don't think she deserved it."

Laura nudged her playfully. "You're just saying that because you're biased."

Olivia rolled her eyes, but her lips inched towards a smile.

"Well, she was lucky they were eggs and not a bat," I grumbled.

I had returned late, and with everything that happened, I couldn't fall back asleep. When Laura and Olivia woke up, I told them everything that happened, and while Laura believed I did the right thing, Olivia thought otherwise.

Surprisingly, they hadn't argued about it. For all of their bickering before, now it was all just playful banters and relentless flirting.

So fucking weird how this weekend turned out.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Olivia nudge Laura and pointed to her phone. They had been secretive all morning. Frowning, I opened my mouth to finally question them, but then Laura's arm slid off my shoulder. She tapped around her pockets.

"Fuck, I forgot my wallet in the drawer upstairs," she groaned.

I shrugged. "Just go up and --"

She quickly turned to me. "Jess, can you go get it?"

I stared at her blankly, and she puckered her lips in a pout.

"Please?"

"Laura, why would I go upstairs to grab your wallet?" I deadpanned.

"Because you're my best friend, and you love me?"

"Ha ha," I laughed dryly. "Funny. Now go get it yourself."

"Oh, for god's sakes," Olivia interrupted. "She just wants you to leave, so we can do this."

Before I could ask her what she meant by 'this,' Olivia stepped in front of Laura and pulled her down into a kiss. My jaw dropped. Then, they fell even wider when Laura dropped her bag, grabbed Olivia's hips, and pulled her closer.

"What the fuck," I said, but they didn't pull away.

Giving up and no longer wanting to stick around to see any more of their make-out session, I stepped out of line and made my way to the elevator that was finally working.

I punched in the button and glanced back at them. My face twisted in disgust as they continued to kiss, their hands all over each other.

Finally, the elevator doors opened, and I stepped in. I pressed the button for the fifth floor just as my phone rang.

Charlotte's name flashed across the screen, and I froze.

"Hold the doors, please!"

My hand shot out instinctively to stop the doors from closing, but my eyes were still glued to the screen as the phone continued to ring.

"Thanks," he said breathlessly, and I glanced up just as the doors shut.

A cold shiver slithered down my spine the moment I met hazel eyes, and the phone fell from my hand.

He blinked in surprise, his lips parting. "Jess?"

This couldn't be real. This couldn't be real. This couldn't --

"Shit, I never thought I was ever going to see you again." His lips stretched into an uneasy smile, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, how are you?"

How was I?

The memories of that night blinded me. His sheets scraping against my skin. Nails biting into my wrists and thighs. Tequila breath crawling all over me. Pain everywhere inside and out. His musky cologne filling me with nausea.

James Simmons was here. He was here, and he was going to hurt me again.

He stepped forward, frowning. "Jess?"

My back hit the elevator wall, and I gripped the railing. There was no air in my lungs. There was no air in the elevator.

Suddenly, there was a loud creaking sound, and then the elevator shook violently. Everything went dark, and I felt his body slam into me.

Every nerve in my body felt like it had been lit on fire, and I screamed.