He sits there.
Music booming. People yelling and dancing. Cody grinding like he's trying to start a friction fire.
But between me and Elijah?
Just heavy silence.
I take a sip of my beer, letting it cool my throat, then reach for my phone on the table. Caroline's still at the gym, so I shoot her a quick text.
ME
Let me know when you're on your way, okay? Or if you changed your mind and want me to pick you up instead.
She insisted on driving herself, told me I didn't have to fetch her, that she'd go back to her dorm first and takes a shower after her workout. Fine. I let it go, thinking she and Sam might show up together anyway.
A minute later, my phone buzzes.
CAROLINE
Just got back to the dorm. I'll head out in a bit
I smile without meaning to... then the next message pops up.
CAROLINE
Is Sam already there?
I stare at the screen for a second, eyebrows pulling in.
ME
She's not. I thought she's coming with you.
Weird. If there's one thing consistent about my sister, it's that she'salwaysthe first to show up when the team throws a party. But... not tonight.
Yeah, I told her not to come to Pond parties anymore, but this isn't just some random weekend-night chaos. Cody personally invited her to his birthday, and they're good friends. I can't exactly uninvite my own sister from a celebration she was actually asked to attend.
A small knot forms in my stomach.
I tap her name and call. It rings... and rings... straight to voicemail.
Try again.
Same thing.
My eyes drift toward Elijah across the table before I can stop myself. And suddenly it clicks.
Maybe she's not coming becausehe'shere.
Maybe this is what letting him go looks like for her... staying away from the one place she'd normally run to just to be near him.
And damn, that hits me harder than I expected. Because if she's really doing this—if she's actually cutting herself off after ten years of chasing him—then that's huge. I'm proud of her. Really proud.
But underneath that pride, something uneasy curls deeper.
Because if she isn't here... where is she?
Is she alone somewhere? Sad? Crying? Fighting through it all on her own?
