The night passed in fragments.
Sleep came in fits and starts—half-dreams where I was running down endless hallways, doors opening and closing, faces blurring together. Every time I surfaced, my phone sat dark and silent on the nightstand, its presence loud even without a sound.
Morning didn’t help. Neither did breakfast.
School definitely didn’t. Time seemed to stretch and contract at random, first period lasting forever and second passing in a blink. Archie stayed close without hovering. Coop cracked jokes. Jake pretended not to watch me. Bubba asked if I’d eaten and didn’t comment when I said yes even though we both knew that was a lie.
The only other one in the know right now was Rachel, but the guys seemed to sense something was up. Archie and I hadn’t told them. Maybe admitting it tothemwould make it too real. Rachel squeezed my hand once between classes. No words. Just pressure.
By early afternoon, my nerves were shot.
I was in the library when my phone vibrated.
Once.
I froze.
Archie’s name lit up the screen.
Archie:
Results just came in.
My heart dropped so hard I thought I might actually hear it hit the floor.
Me:
Are you?—
Three dots appeared.
Stopped.
Appeared again.
Archie:
I’m coming to you.
I swallowed, fingers tightening around the phone.
Me:
Okay.
I didn’t pack my bag. Didn’t tell anyone where I was going. I just stood, legs shaky, and waited.
Whatever was on the other side of this—truth, relief, fallout—it was finally done waiting for me.
And I wasn’t sure if I was ready.
But I was going to find out.
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
ARCHIE
