𝔢𝔶𝔢𝔰. 𝔇𝔦𝔯𝔱𝔶, 𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔨,

𝔬𝔩𝔢 �

AM

ld enough-exactly what I need tonight. No overthinking, no stress, no impending disaster looming over me. Just mus

nst my shoulder as she nudges me with her elbow. "Ca

we go out. Still, I glance over my shoulder, keeping it casual. And, well-hello, tall, dark, and fine. The guy ooze

her night, another

s beside me.

er sip of my drink. "

ple

arm around Claire's waist and pulling her into him. He presses a quick kiss to her t

aire teases, but she

ing a brow. "So? You m

at is this,

, shaking

ght to disappointment. Still, a night of mindless fun wouldn't kill me. I'm not looking for anything serious. Not now. Someday, sure-I'll settle, pop out a kid or two, p

nking?" Cl

i, let me have my girlfri

on the glass counter. "Fine, fin

her toward the dance floor. "Sorry,

e none of the idiots before him did. She's too good for this world-too soft, too bright, and way

loser in college. I didn't need friends. I didn't need attachments. I just needed to survive. And Claire? She was there, easy to keep ar

hout me noticing

ts about professors who didn't know how to teach, and laughing so hard we almost got kicked out o

't. Because for the first time, I saw Claire break. And it wasn't the loud, dramatic kind of heartbreak. No, she shattered quietly. She stopped

o, and when she didn't, I sat beside her in silence. And somehow, without realizing it, t

sed to know anymore. She's my sister. An

And she's happy with him

lose my eyes for a moment, letti

nt to throw my laptop out the window. A home that isn't just a temporary pit stop between work and whateve

all those self-help books and j

ch of a

n Shirt Guy beside me, mimick

t much of a strang

hing I'm not much of

ys

e extends a hand

hand but don't

fazed. "Cami. Sh

none of you

aking his head. "

" I quip. "Until they re

ns. "T

-witted, doesn't take himself too seriously. For once, I

we take this elsewhere, I don't say no. I make

quickly, a slow grin spreading across his

ma

studying me. "Tha

oes mean you're

idens. "Le

*

s the floor to the other bathroom. Daniel's in my en-suite, the sho

oommate, is never home, and the other two floors are

been stupid to put off working on my presentation until tonight, but here we are. It's

king every bit the sin I indulged in. He slides behind me

smile. "Give m

, but he pulls away with a f

, already refocus

s just the clicks of the key

I hea

ust

hair on the back of my neck rises. I slowly gla

ching horror film

. The silence of my apartment suddenly feels too unsettling. I gl

bably just my

toward the living roo

aked in a thick coat, weari

s through

hen he steps forward, revealing an unfamiliar face before sayin

r. But I don't make it. Hands clamp around my arms. M

t presses aga

cl

ds my nostrils, my he

ar him speak again, so

l have hi

ng. Except une