“Yeah, I think I did.”
There was a pause, one that stretched warm and heavy between us.
“Seth,” I said quietly.“I’m sorry about the other night.I’ve been all over the place.I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore.With everything.With Paxon.With us.”
He studied me for a long moment, expression calm but sincere.“You don’t need to have it all figured out right now.Just promise me something.”
“What?”I asked.
He leaned close enough for me to feel his warmth.“Don’t shut yourself off while you’re trying to find your footing, okay?Like how you don’t like us disappearing on you, you can’t do the same to us.Okay?”He held his pinky out to me.
I stared at it for a long moment before looping mine with his, feeling like we were small children.“I just don’t want to lose anyone.”
“You won’t,” he said.
Toby broke the moment, calling from the front of the room.“Cadence!You’re up next.No escaping your fate.”
I groaned.“Saved by karaoke.”
Seth chuckled.“Go.You’re better than all of them combined anyway.”
I walked over and grabbed the mic.“That’s a bold claim,” I said, glancing back at Seth.
“It’s true,” he said easily.
The opening chords of the song filled the air.I started to sing, hesitant at first as I tried to remember how this song worked.Slowly my voice grew stronger the more I got into the song.Toby clapped along offbeat, Hazel added ridiculous harmonies, and Margo mouthed the words with a smile that made my chest warm in a good way.
When I finished, the room erupted in cheers and laughter.
Margo leaned over the back of the couch, eyes bright.“You still don’t realize how much your music helps people, do you?”she said.“Every time I hear you sing, it feels like breathing gets a little easier.”
Her words struck deep.I smiled, a little shaky.“Thank you, Margo.”
The rest of the night was pure noise and joy.Micah and Lillian bickered over duet choices.Toby tried to teach Margo a ridiculous dance, and Justin ended up laughing so hard he was holding on to his side.
When everyone finally left, the house became too quiet again.I could still hear the echoes of all the laughter and singing, but it didn’t compare to when everyone was actually here.I stood in the middle of the living room, surrounded by half-empty soda cans and cookie clumps, smiling despite myself.
“Need help cleaning?”
Justin stood by the doorway, jacket in hand, but not quite ready to leave.His voice was soft, carrying that steadiness that helped me feel calm.
“I thought you were heading to Seth’s with Toby for a boys’ sleepover?”I teased.
He rolled his eyes at that.Once Toby mentioned sleeping over at Seth’s, we teased them relentlessly about their boys’ sleepover party.
“I was, but you looked like you could use the company.”
I tried to play it off with a teasing grin.“So you’re saying I look pitiful?”
“No,” he said simply, walking toward me.“You look tired.”
He started picking up the soda cans before I could argue, setting them neatly on the counter.His quiet presence filled the space as he simply existed without demanding anything from me.And somehow, that was exactly what I needed.
“Thanks,” I said.“You don’t have to—”
“I know.”He smiled faintly.“But I want to.”
We cleaned in easy silence until the room looked somewhat decent again.When I turned to thank him, he was already watching me.
