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I must’ve passed out here. At some point I decided fresh air was a good idea, but I don’t remember anything after that. I sit up slowly and immediately regret it. My stomach rolls and my head pounds. There’s dirt on my palms and grass stuck to my jeans.

My memory comes back in pieces: Grant kicking the door open, shoving me down the stairs, forbidding me to see Bryn again. Isla at the window, staring down at me knowingly, as if she had planned the entire thing. I scrub a hand down my face and let out a breath.

The back door creaks open behind me and someone steps out. I don’t look right away, as I don’t really care or feel like talking.

‘Uh,’ she says awkwardly. ‘Good morning.’

‘Not really,’ I reply, still staring at the ground.

She hesitates. ‘You’re Kaine’s brother?’

‘The one and only.’

‘Even sprawled out in the grass, you’re pretty cute,’ she says, flirting shamelessly as she leans on the door. She looks like she just rolled out of bed, still wearing most likely what she wore last night. I vaguely remember her trying to strike up a conversation with me.

I push myself to my feet, swaying a little, and dust off my clothes, even though it’s pointless.

‘Not interested.’

Her mouth falls open as she blinks at me before scowling. ‘Fuck you, then.’

‘Fuck you, too,’ I say, pushing past her and heading into the mess inside.

Making my way to my room, I send a silent thank you to anyone listening, since my bed is miraculously empty. I slam the door behind me and fall into it, my eyes heavy and sore. Before I close them, I try calling Bryn again with no luck. There is no way for me to contact her, and it’s driving me crazy. I don’t know how I’m going to survive this world without her.

32

BRYN

Now

I don’t realise how late it is until the light in Ash’s apartment starts to change. The afternoon glow fades into something darker. He’s in the bathroom, getting ready for work. My phone vibrates on the coffee table, turning back on after being flat for most of the day. The screen lights up with a flood of notifications, one after another: multiple missed calls, text messages, and over a hundred unread messages in the group chat. There are multiple work emails following up on emails that I still haven’t returned.

Tess: Where are you?

Elodie: Please tell me you’re alive.

Tess: Bryn??

Elodie: Where you at?

Tess: Call me when you can please xx

My stomach drops as I thumb through each notification.

‘Shit,’ I whisper.

Ash appears in the doorway, towel slung low around his hips, his hair damp. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘My phone died,’ I say, already typing. ‘There are a lot of messages.’

‘Everything okay?’

‘Yeah,’ I say, guilt flooding through me. ‘I just lost track of time.’

Bryn: I’m okay, my phone died.

I’m so sorry! Coming home soon x