“I knew it wouldn’t work out between us,” she says quietly. “I knew it. We’re too different. From different worlds. But I got my hopes up anyway, and now I’m paying for it.”
April shifts closer, her voice gentle. “Tell us what happened.”
June nods, staring at her hands. “You know I’ve been seeing him for a few months now. From the beginning, I knew it wasn’t going to be serious. I was just having fun. He’s the hottest guy I’ve ever met, and he’s into me, like…” She laughs weakly through tears. “I’m fat, and this guy worshiped me in bed. It was amazing.”
“As he should,” April says immediately.
June smiles briefly, then her face falls again. “We agreed to keep it secret. I mean, Catalina knows, and Marianna knows because Thiago knows, since they’re best friends, but that was it. We’ve gone out a million times, and we’ve been picturedtogether before, but nobody’s ever thought much of it since I’m always around the team, but we went out. Someone took a picture of us… he was touching my ass, and from one moment to the other it ended up everywhere.”
Her voice breaks.
“And in the past few days, the entire internet has said the most horrible things about me. About my body. About how I don’t deserve him, and how he would never date someone who looks like me, and he hasn’t said anything. Not one thing.”
The room goes quiet except for the sound of her breathing.
“I understand why,” she adds quickly. “We agreed it would stay private. But I guess I hoped he’d say something. Just… anything. That he’d admit he’d actually date someone like me. That they’re wrong.” Her shoulders shake again. “And now I’m heartbroken over expectations I created myself. And the worst part is, I can’t even blame him.”
April reaches for her hand, squeezing gently.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” she says softly.
I keep rubbing her back, letting her talk, letting the words spill out without trying to fix them. The three of us sit there on the floor, Neptune pressed against us, the evening light fading slowly through the window as June lets herself fall apart safely between us.
Eventually, her breathing steadies, the tears slowing.
The room grows quieter, softer.
June leans into me, April’s knee pressed against mine, Neptune warm at our feet, and for a while, none of us move.
Chapter 29
Having my sisters here feels like my new life just expanded to make room for them.
My phone kept lighting up all day with pictures while I was at work—April posing dramatically outside random stores, June holding coffee near the harbor. Selfies from places I pass every day, but I have yet to visit myself.
They’ve turned my small town into an adventure.
I catch myself smiling every time my phone buzzes.
When I get home Tuesday evening, music is playing somewhere inside, the house smells like tomato sauce and garlic, and I find them both in the kitchen, surrounded by ingredients, Neptune glued to their side, as they laugh over something I clearly missed.
“You made lasagna?” I ask, dropping my keys on the counter.
“We’re domestic now,” April says proudly, waving a spatula.
June grins. “You’re welcome.”
“It smells delicious,” I say, pulling my phone out of my pants pocket. I text Aiden.
Me:
Are you home?
A few moments later, my phone buzzes.
Aiden:
Not yet. It will be soon.
