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Her Converse slammed against the pavement as she moved frantically down the icy street outside North Star. Her jacket was still clutched in her hand, but there was no time to stop and put it on. She was fucking freezing, and she didn’t care.

Her brain was scrambled eggs. Because Sienna had just dropped a bloody atom bomb and then sprinted out the door like the building was on fire.

The last sixty seconds in the studio were a complete blur. When Sienna had abruptly stood up and walked off mid-broadcast, leaving dead air ringing in their headphones, Robin’s panic had overridden her voice. She’d stammered out a flustered apology on-mic, muttering to Carrie that she had to go after her.

Thankfully, Carrie had stepped up with astonishing composure, giving Robin an empathetic nod, smoothly taking the reins of the broadcast. She’d gently explained to the listeners that they were cutting the episode short due to emotional distress. With a cue to the engineer booth, Carrie had pivoted directly to a pre-recorded segment to run out the remaining airtime.

The moment the feed cut to tape, Robin had bolted.

I kissed you in the street because I wanted to. I was falling in love with you, Robin.

The words echoed in Robin’s head, louder than the light evening traffic, louder than her own panting breath.

Six months ago, on a street just like this one, Robin had been the one to run away. She’d convinced herself she was a disaster, a screw-up, someone incapable of being loved like someone like Sienna. She had left Sienna standing alone in the rain.

And now Sienna was calling herself a chicken and fleeing the scene?

Robin needed to find her. But the street was empty. Had Sienna managed to jump in a cab? If not, she’d have to have walked around a corner. Left or right? Robin chose left and prayed as she went around the first corner.

There she was.

Sienna was walking down the quiet side street, shoulders hunched. She looked small and terrified.

‘Sienna!’ Robin shouted.

Sienna’s head whipped around. She looked shocked. ‘You chased me?’

Robin closed the distance and came to a halt right in front of her.

‘Why... why did you run?’ Robin eventually asked. ‘You just... You said… And then you ran.’

‘Because I couldn’t look at you!’ Sienna admitted, her voice cracking in a way Robin had never heard before. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, shivering violently in the damp chill.

‘Why not?’ Robin demanded.

‘Because I’ve been a shit to you. And then I drop that on you? I’m all the red flags, Robin. A fucking military parade in... Whose flag is red?’

Robin frowned. ‘Umm… China?’

‘Right. A Chinese military display of toxicity. That’s me. That’s why I’m running. So you don’t have to.’

‘I have been running, you loon,’ Robin cried, exasperated. ‘I chased you down.’

‘More fool you!’ Sienna yelled, her breath quickening.

‘Take a breath. You’re gonna hyperventilate.’

Sienna was still panting. ‘No!’

‘In and out, slowly. Come on!’

Sienna did as she was told, and her breathing slowed down. ‘I’m a bit woozy now.’

‘I bet.’

Sienna leaned against a wall. Robin watched her for a moment. She didn’t understand what was happening. One minute she was a lovesick dumbass just trying to survive being in the same room with Sienna. The next, Sienna was declaring her love and having a panic attack.

‘So, can we talk now?’ Robin asked.