ollege library, her notebook spread open beside her, cr

reports with sharp focus, her eyes scanning each page lik

ips parting slightly. Her f

nvolved in Cha

in, her lips pa

e dean'

here wa

just founded on lies-

h the thick library silence. "I'm telling you," one girl said, loud enough

iggling. "He could date my twi

her eyes on the file in front of her, but

d. "Did you see the car he picked her up in? One s

ingly. "Guys like Craig? They get bored. Fa

ifted somewhere else entirely, to the gossip she'd just overhea

pped the desk. Her thoughts lingered on him like a song you couldn't get out

ut the memory of his deep green eyes, his expression, and

snar...

traction. It was becoming

ld despite the gleaming surfaces. Everything was to

of scotch heavy in his hand, staring into the d

y barely contained, while Melissa sat curled up o

voice measured. "For us. How many time

ed. "Good for you? Or

is drink slowly, clinging to control. "She's presen

dry. "Present... like a godda

his movements slow but sharp, his g

dy alive with a fury too long ignored. "You want us to prete

, interrupted. "She was Mom's go

own into deep water. Aiden flinched. Just ba

ore things fell apart," he said quietly.

"Did she know you before Mom left too? Were yo

ound the throw pillow, the only sound

mposure. Before he straightened. "

ck. "I saw the way she looked at

oed through the tension. "Enough," he said. "I wi

his rage trembling at the edges of grief. T

m like a ghost no o

e words. "Did you ever love her, Dad? Or wer

w warning. "You're blinded by grief.

d, standing his gr

stop me," Aiden shot b

ugh like a whisper breaking glass. "She's n

othing. Nothing he could say wou

"You stopped seeing us. Even when we're right here. So tell me,

link of ice in

lked off, his pain following like a sha

wed by the night outside. Unreadable. U

voice-raw, furious, full of thi

u ever

iting for the li

osure. A second chance at a complete fa

stair couldn't stand him. He didn't e

shallow. Then, low and rough, like a confession he didn

if it carried a warning. Just as Aiden turned away, t

e was

sn't alon