rand of hair from her face. "My brother me

ing about it online. Took forever for m

ed down Merl

han she wanted. "Did they ev

ome student, apparently obsessed with

tuttered. "And? W

om a dream. "No clue. They couldn't charge him-no solid evidence or wh

sharp now. "Walking around campus like nothing

a thought, the realization slamming into

thumbing through pages like they were t

someone's life was stolen. And who

l. Why are you acting like it's p

a laugh. "College is hard enou

gging into her palms. "How can you guys even say that?" she snapped. "Someone was poss

doesn't happen?" rolls eyes, "And she was a professor. I hate professors.

isted, her face burn

sex-starved slut who threw herself at the hot rich kid," she said wi

ng. "Worst-case s

isgusting," she choked out, eyes stinging. Without

he hell?" Phoebe call

sitting up straighter

to face them, her eyes were blazing with fury. "That so-called sex-starv

enc

Megan and Phoebe stared at the closed door, the w

*

only sound the low hum of a flickering neon sign abov

und herself, head lowered, shadows crawling alon

uzzed faintly overhead, and the faint smell of cleaning bleach lingered. She a

keycard across the counter. Merlina gave a slight

s that flickered like they were struggling to stay awake. The ca

ch one shut tight, each one holding

, she stepped inside like she was ente

h a dull quilt, one flickering lamp on the

her. She shut the door behind her and leaned against it for a

ook as she collapsed onto the bed, curling into herself

ASHBAC

ing room, casting long lines across the floor. Merlina sat stiffly on the co

uldn't name it yet. At the dining table, their father, Aiden

ed at the screen, sighed, and picked it up. "Yeah?" he said.

tter now, thinner. He rubbed his fac

landing on the three children

cracked. "What is it? W

urgency in his voice. "Da

cushion beside her. "Dad, what's

ut final. "Your mother's dead.

still. No o

ke he'd struck her. "Wha

voice barely a whisper. "No..

urned to her father, clinging to hope. "D

would ruin her." Then, without another word, he st

arms around her as she sobbed. Melissa crumpled

ESENT

st heaving. Her face was damp with tears, an

oo loud with memory. She wiped

rds cracking on her tongue She pulled her knees up

ainst the window like a ghost. And in that tiny, suffocating room, Mer