But Kat? She stirs… something. And I hate the way it makes my blood bubble in my veins. It’s not about that. It’s about finding my friend. The only friend I ever really had.
She pours water into a kettle and flicks the switch. Her mouth moves as she chats to Ellie, who must be out of sight, but I can’t hear what she says.
She’s close enough that I could knock on the door.
Close enough that I could call her name through the glass and hope that she sees me.
My fingers curl against the brick windowsill.
She slides two slices of bread into a toaster and leans against the counter while she waits. Ellie wanders past her, grabbing a bag of crisps and picking up the cup of tea that Kat made.
Kat smiles with that same crooked lift of her lip that I recognised from across the square.
She hasn’t changed. Well, she has. But there’s still that same vivaciousness running under the surface.
Still bright.
Still everything I’m not.
The toaster pops, and Kat jumps, laughing at herself before pulling the toast free and spreading it.
It’s like watching a ghost. I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry. Either way, I’m mesmerised.
I watch as she carries her toast and mug toward the sitting area.
For a second, she turns toward the bedroom, as if she can sense that I’m watching her. As much as I want to be noticed by her, not like this.
I flatten against the brick wall and daren’t even breathe. My heart hammers so loud I have to close my eyes to focus.
Too fucking close.
Through the wall, I hear the faint scrape of a distant chair. Carefully, I lean back to the gap in the curtain. She’s gone. Out of view.
Relief washes through me as I take a ragged breath.
Dragging a hand over my still-sweaty face, I groan.This is stupid.
Standing in an alley like some creep, watching a woman I haven’t seen in years make toast. But I don’twant to leave. I don’t want to go back to my empty flat and picture her here.
I could come back.
Just to make sure she’s safe, and until I figure out how the hell to reintroduce myself to her.
I glance through the window one last time.Empty.
Pushing myself back, I step into the shadow of the alley.
When I come back, I need to be smarter. To be less rash and ignore the way I crave her attention.
Quieter.
Harder to recognise. Maybe a cap or something over my face. Just until I figure things out. Until I decide whether the girl who once saved me deserves to see what I’ve become.
Or whether she’s better off believing the boy from the woods stayed gone.
FOUR
KAT
