Page 59 of Puck Me Back to Life

My eyes drift toward the dresser. The jewelry tray is sitting exactly where it has been for years.

Dust has gathered around the edges. I haven't touched it in a long time.

Not because I dislike jewelry but because putting effort into my appearance started feeling pointless after the accident.

My feet carry me across the room before I've consciously decided anything. The silver hoops are exactly where I left them. A little tarnished and dusty. Still recognizable.

I pick one up. The cool metal settles against my palm. For a moment I simply stare at it.

Before, I used to wear these constantly.

Team dinners.

Road trips.

Parties.

Dates.

I used to enjoy getting dressed up. I used to enjoy being looked at. I used to flirt. I used to smile more. The guy I was at twenty-two feels like someone I read about in a book once. A character I remember but don't entirely recognize anymore.

My throat tightens.

I clean the earrings with the edge of my shirt before sliding them into place. The familiar weight feels strange. Comfortable. Like finding something I thought I'd lost.

The silver chain follows. Nothing dramatic or flashy. Just enough.

When I finally look up, the reflection staring back at me seems different.

Not fixed.

Not healed.

Just familiar. Closer to the person I remember being before everything shattered.

Then my phone rings.

Ash.

My stomach immediately performs an embarrassing maneuver.

I answer before the second ring. “Hello?”

“We're outside.”

I can hear Dante laughing somewhere in the background.

“Get down here, Hayes.”

Then the call ends. Just like that. I stare at my phone. The smile remains. Unfortunately.

I grab my wallet and keys before heading for the door. The elevator takes forever. The lobby is mostly empty when I finally step outside. Then I nearly collide with Angela.

She looks just as surprised. “Kai?”

I stop.

Angela is carrying two grocery bags and still wearing her work badge. A few strands of dark hair have escaped her ponytail. She looks tired. Then she looks at me and immediately freezes.