They make it look easy.
That’s the part that sticks with me.
Not the chaos. Or the near-death experience.
But the way my brother didn’t even hesitate when he saw her.
The way she just… fits. Like she was always meant to be there.
The way they’ve grown together, but the core of who they are still remains.
I sigh.
Maybe seeing them—happy, carefree, and completely themselves—is what makes it sting.
Not because I’m not happy for them. I am.
It just… highlights everything I don’t have.
Although I’m younger, I was the first to get married. But it didn’t last.
And looking back, I realize why Julia and I didn’t work. And why Sebastian and Ivy do.
Julia was always trying to change me. She was never satisfied with who I was. Like there was always something to fix.
I shove my hands into my pockets, continuing down the street.
That’s messed me up more than I let on.
I’ve gotten used to being on my own. I usually prefer it.
I huff out a quiet breath. No one jumping out from behind trees trying to end your life.
But the truth is, I’m also lonely.
I have a fear that I’ll never find someone who accepts me for me. Or maybe even shows me things I don’t know about myself. Like Ivy did with Sebastian.
I glance up... and slow.
A house just ahead catches my eye.
I blink, taking in the small ranch house sitting back from the road. Trees surround the outer edge of the overgrown property.
As I get closer, I see the sign planted near the edge of the yard
For Rent
555-228-9782
I should keep walking.
But I don’t.
The yard is neglected, swallowed by long grass and overgrown shrubs.
It’s the kind of place that wouldn’t take much to make it look nice. Homey.
Violet would like this place.The thought comes, unbidden.
