Scottie
I wish I’d never agreed to this at all.
I stare at it, at the naked truth typed out so plainly.
What will my family think if I hit send?
How will I survive if I don’t?
My thumb hovers over the button, my breath coming out so shaky, I feel dizzy, even in bed.
I’ve spent my whole life making myself easy to overlook. Quiet enough that no one had to choose me. Small enough that losing me wouldn’t cost anyone anything.
For once, I want it to cost something.
Whoosh.
I open ReelTime before I can think too hard about it. Jake was supposed to do this. I gave him every chance.
I draft the post in under a minute, hitting all the buzzwords—mutual decision, we’re better as friends, grateful for the time together, he’ll always be part of the family—the kind of clean, bloodless ending he was never going to write. I schedule it for three a.m. and don’t let myself feel guilty about it. Don’t let myself wonder if I’m being fair to him.
It’s the first thing I’ve done in months that’s fair to me.
I send one more text. To Lucas.
Scottie
It’s done.
I power my phone down.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Lucas
The incessant buzz of my phone wakes me up before my alarm can.
I rub the sleep out of my eyes before reaching for it. Logan’s still out cold in the other bed, his blue foam earplugs doing their job.
After a dozen quick blinks and a yawn, I check my notifications.
20+ Notifications
Twenty plus?
My socials always have hundreds or thousands, but I mute those.
These are texts from my dad, sister, and Coop all individually, as well as some to the family group thread Coop ison. I have a text from Kayla, one from the Flaps manager, some from other Flaps players, and even my agent.
There are too many to process.
But there’s one I see first, sitting at the top of my personal texts like it’s been waiting for me since she sent it at midnight.
Scottie
It’s done.
I stare at it.
