tains, casting a warm hue across the room. Her apartment was usually a sanctuary, filled with lush, green plants that climbed toward the ceiling and brought

nightstand, the sudden glow

rtain it was him. Maybe he had finally realized what a mistake he'd made. Maybe he was typing out an apology, t

xcuses. Too tired to open herself up to more hur

ications piling on. She frowned a

e finally flipped it over and unlocked it,

n't him. Instead, her screen was flooded with me

There was something about a dancing dog, another of someone falling off a skateboar

cal

ound her, Nathan had the ability to pull her back, if only for a moment. He had always been that way-able t

ur face before I fix it for you," followed by, "If you keep running in and out of this house, you're staying outside!" and then, "You got McDonald's money?" The exagge

slightly. She scrolled through Nathan's messages, letting the absur

r hand, the messages still open. Nathan didn't know what had happened. He d

r thumb hovering

I tel

g cursor, her fingers sti

t

bed and let herself fall into the soft pillows behind her. She

It was Nathan calling. Hazel sighed a

"You know I can tell you read the messages, right? And t

e stared at the ceiling. Nathan waited a s

going on? You'

erything she had been holding in. "Michael le

ine. "What?" Nathan asked,

eeling heavier now that she'd said them out lou

sharp. "Wait... who?

lied, her voice la

o the hell

her temple. "You know Stacy... She wor

it hit him. "Wait... the girl from

you told me I needed more girlfrie

kay, now you're bl

"Kinda? If you hadn't told me to befriend more

hat's not on you. This isn't on me either. It's on him. He didn't deserve

etly, "but it feels like ev

he prize here. You don't need someone like Michael to define your worth. Y

words sink in. "I don't feel like

ing to get through this. You've got me, Haze. You've got peopl

king away the last of h

me to co

. "Maybe... not yet thoug

ed. "But I'm here. When

an was right-she wasn't alone. She had people who cared, people who saw her for who she really

tional toll of the last 24 hours weighed on her, and even though Nathan's w

he moments she'd shared with Michael, dissecting every memory. Was there something she had missed? Had the signs been there all along, and sh

answers came. Only the ache of betrayal, con

e needed to get out, breathe some fresh air, and clear her mind. Grabbing her keys, she deci