Page 29 of Endo
“God, no,” Cece groans, though the way her cheeks flush ever so slightly doesn’t go unnoticed. “He’s insufferable. And Idon’tdate trolls.”
Bexley tilts her head, clearly not buying it. “So, are we not going to talk about how you’ve been texting him all week?”
My head snaps to Cece. “Wait,what? You’ve been texting Revel? Since when?”
Cece glares at Bexley like she wants to throw her iced tea at her. “Weran into each otherat the track when I picked up Bex the other day, and he practically forced me to give him my number.”
I smirk, leaning back in my chair. “And by ‘forced,’ you mean he turned on the charm, and you just couldn’t say no?”
“Shut up,” she mutters, her face reddening.
Bexley grins triumphantly. “He hasn’t stopped texting her since. It’s been, what, five days?”
“Four,” Cece corrects quickly, then winces as if she’s said too much.
I burst out laughing. “Oh, this is gold. Cece and Revel, the troll and the queen. I’d watch that show.”
Cece scowls, though there’s no real heat behind it. “It’s not like that. He’s just... persistent. Like a stray dog that keeps following you around because you gave it food once.”
“Uh-huh,” Bexley says, sipping her drink with a smirk. “But you’re still texting him back, aren’t you?”
“I hate you both,” Cece mutters, but the corners of her mouth twitch like she’s fighting a smile.
Internally, I can’t help but think they’d be good for each other. Revel could use someone who doesn’t take his crap, and Cece, for all her fire, deserves someone who actually cares enough to put in the effort.
“Well,” I say, raising my coffee like a toast, “here’s to whatever the hell this is. May your troll texts bring you endless entertainment.”
Cece flips me off, but her laughter spills out anyway, light and unguarded. Moments like these remind me how lucky I am to have them, even if they’re all a little ridiculous. For the first time in what feels like forever, I let myself relax, the warmth of their laughter and teasing wrapping around me like a safety net. Thisis what I’ve been missing, what I’ve been too scared to admit I need.
Later that afternoon,I find myself standing at the edge of Cruz’s grave. The weight of the day presses on me, my heart heavy with everything I’ve left unsaid.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice catching in the stillness. My fingers trace the edges of Cruz’s headstone, the cool stone grounding me as my chest tightens. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. Everything feels... off without you.”
I swallow hard, blinking back the sting of tears. “I’m trying, though. I swear I am. It’s just... it’s hard. So damn hard.”
The wind picks up, rustling the leaves around me, and for a moment, I let myself believe it’s him, somehow here, listening.
“I’ve been training with Reign,” I admit softly, the words tumbling out like a confession. “I didn’t think I could do it at first. Hell, I didn’t evenwantto. But... I don’t know. Something’s shifting. I’m starting to feel it—the way the bike moves, the way the road feels under the tires. It’s like... I can feel you with me when I’m riding. Like you’re pushing me to keep going.”
I glance up at the sky, as if I might catch a glimpse of him there. “You’d probably laugh if you saw me the first couple of days. I was such a mess. Reign’s got this way of pushing me though, even when I want to throw my helmet at his head. He’s... different. He gets it. The pain, the weight. I think that’s why I keep showing up, even when it hurts.”
I pause, brushing away a tear that escapes down my cheek. “Today, I met up with Cece and Bexley. We went to the café, and... for the first time since you left, the world felt lighter. Just for a little while. We laughed. They teased me about Reign, ofcourse. Cece’s been texting Revel too, and Bex is planning her line for this new fashion show she got into, and she actually wants me to model for it,” I explain, choking out a small giggle. “It was... nice. Seeing them today. I think I needed it. Like a glimpse of what normal used to be.”
I press my hand against the stone, closing my eyes. “But it still feels wrong without you. Like I’m betraying you by letting myself enjoy anything. By leaning on Reign, by laughing with the girls. I don’t want you to think I’ve forgotten you, Cruz. I could never forget you.”
The silence stretches, the wind soft against my skin. “I miss you so fucking much,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “But I think... I think maybe I’m starting to see a way forward. I’m scared, though. Scared of what it means to keep going without you. But I think this is what you would want. Isn’t it?”
The tears spill freely now, but for the first time, they don’t feel like they’re suffocating me. They’re a release, a small step toward something I can’t quite name.
“I’m going to keep pushing forward, Cruz,” I whisper, my voice steadying with the promise. “Because I know that’s what you’d want. You might not be here anymore, and I can’t follow you, but I can live—for both of us.”
As I stand, brushing the dirt from my hands, a quiet warmth settles over me, fragile yet undeniable. It feels like a whisper of hope—or maybe it’s him, reminding me I don’t have to carry this alone.
13
REIGN
Paralyzed - NF
