Dan:
Tomorrow, Ares’s house.
Me:
Not before 3pm.
I close out of the chat, and then open the text from my dad.
Dad:
I’m assuming you have Zara at the apartment on Bourke.
Me:
Yes.
He reads my message and the little bubbles pop up showing he’s writing a reply.
Dad:
She okay?
The answer to that isno. She’s really not okay, and I’m in over my fucking head.
Me:
She’s asleep. I don’t want to wake her.
Dad:
Bring her here in the morning. I’ve told her mother she’s sleeping over with Cara. Don’t do anything you can’t undo, Ares.
Me:
Thanks, Dad.
Putting my phone down, I relax a little more and close my eyes. My mind is on overdrive trying to figure out ways to help Zara, ways to make sure she’s going to be okay.
I wake up cold and alone. I look around the room and don’t see any sign of Zara. Where the hell is she?
Getting up, I open the bathroom door. She’s not in there. I head out to the living room and that’s where I find her.
My heart fucking breaks at the sight. She’s sitting on the sofa, the blanket from the bed wrapped around her. Her knees are drawn up to her chest and she’s rocking back and forth as tears silently fall down her face. She’s staring off into the distance and doesn’t notice me.
Sitting next to her, I reach out, pick her up, and set her on my lap. Then I wrap my arms around her as tight as I can. “What happened?” I ask her.
Zara lifts her head, her watery blue eyes meeting mine. “I’m sorry,” she says.
“I don’t need you to be sorry, Zara. What happened?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Are you sure?”
“I just… woke up and you were there and then I remembered that I… I can’t stop crying. It starts and then I just can’t seem to stop.” She shakes her head.
“You remembered what?” I urge her to continue.
