We’ll be your people.
They had been.
And then they’d betrayed her.Adihad betrayed her. Betrayed all of them.
Served her right. Sierra had almost allowed herself to be taken in. She’d begun to believe there were decent humans out there, and look where that had gotten her.
There were only monsters in the world. No Helsings.
She got up from the bench, slung her satchel over her shoulder, and dumped her sketchbook in the trash.
Twilight had fallen by the time she reached the lobby. She spotted Carter and Beck sharing french fries at the hotel restaurant. They had their heads together, laughing at something on Carter’s phone.
Sierra slowed, waiting for a spark of anger that they could be enjoying themselves at a time like this.
Instead, some of the ice thawed from around her heart. She took a step toward them. Toward Beck, whose smile was still contagious. Toward Carter, who could be so socially awkward yet so eager to let people in.
Her friends.
The thought drummed against her chest like a heartbeat.
But then her gaze found Adi at the bar, holding a book in one hand and eating spring rolls with the other. Sierra recoiled.
People couldn’t be trusted.
She hurried to the elevator, leaving the food and laughter behind.
“I am alone,” she told herself as she opened her hotel room door.
“I am alone,” she chanted as she ran a bath.
“I am alone,” she whispered as she scrubbed and scrubbed at her armor until the towel was coated in black and she couldn’t tell the bath water from her tears.
Alone alone alone—
There was a knock at the bathroom door. Carter’s hesitant voice came through.
“Sierra?”
Sierra shuddered through a sob. “Leave me—”
The door opened. Carter walked in, hands covering her eyes. “We can hear you crying.”
Beck walked in behind her, also with a hand over his eyes. His other hand was holding a giant bag of Skittles. “We brought you snacks.”
It took Sierra some time to grapple with her voice through her pain. “Go away.”
“You’re not alone, Sierra,” Carter said. “Oof, Beck, you bumped me!”
“Sorry.” Beck waved the bag uncertainly. “Where are you, Sierra? I don’t want to get the candy wet.”
“Jesus Christ,” Sierra said. “You can uncover your eyes. I have bubbles.”
Both of them lowered their hands. They simultaneously sighed in relief when they realized that yes, the water was appropriately frothed.
“Bubbles are good,” Beck said to Carter in a stage whisper. “No one seriously depressed would have bubbles.”
Carter sat down next to the bath. “You’re not alone, Sierra,” she said again.
