amlike blur. Liam's unexpected promise

arty, designing invitations, and carefully writing out a list of all her classmates.

d joy and felt a cautious optimism bloom within

s too excited to sleep. "Can I call

ightening in her stomach. But she couldn't de

nd rang.

d to fall. "Try ag

several rings, someone pic

girl's voice chirp

blood

gly familiar. "Chloe, hon

as O

mouth. She hung up immedi

er eyes full of quest

ce shaking. "I think... I think Mr.

tasted

the light in her eyes dimmed. Before bed, she hugged her o

rah whispered, stroking

s classmates had come, their parents chatting and laughing. The bouncy castle was

erfect. Except L

ew tighter. Lily kept looking towards the en

rious troublemaker, pointed at her. "S

s filled w

n, he a

efree. But he wasn't alone. Olivia was on his arm,

oked around at the party with a smu

much bigger party than this for m

ace impassive. He made no effort to correct Chloe,

, watching, as Lily