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That was a different era. Now we just have mass shootings. Same sick fucks, different method of madness.

I sense Dani’s intense gaze on my cheek. “Are you going to be okay? You haven’t had a chance to process everything about your father.”

I give her a heavy smile and let out a sigh. “I’m trying, I really am. I’ll be fine.”

This town holds a piece of him, a side I’m unfamiliar with. My scholarship letter was like a sign from him for me to follow in his footsteps, and I had to seize the moment. After a year of community college upgrading, I was supposed to transfer to a completely different school on the opposite side of the country. This was a last-minute decision. The fact Dani was transferring here was just icing on the cake.

She places a consoling hand on my arm. “You said that last week, but you really don’t seem okay.”

Darkness flickers inside me, planting its deep roots, simmering like hot coals. I’m not sure I’ll ever see the world in rose color again. I had to watch my father die over the course of three days. And I sensed…nothing. The same emptiness inside I had for years. I only ever seem to feel alive when I’m dreaming.

In fact, the only real emotion I’ve experienced in years was the arousal last night from the mysterious messenger and the anticipation that my nameless monster was coming back to me.

I force a tear, since I’m good at displaying fake emotion for the sake of others. It seems to put people at ease. “People lose parents, Dani. It’s a part of the cycle of life. I just lost one early. I’ll be alright.”

My eyes draw back to the Mini Cooper, trying to avoid her stare, hoping she can’t tell I’m faking.

“Come on,” Dani says, reading my mind. “Time to go meet Misty. And you need to be nice to her.”

I stick out my tongue at Dani before following her inside.

I’ll attempt to be pleasant. I’m not sure why I am the way I am, letting very few people in. I have the perfect life; I had parents who loved each other. I grew up in a nice house in the quiet suburbs, where people left the doors unlocked and the windows open at night.

It’s like I’m battling internal demons, except I’m uncertain what caused them. I can’t pinpoint what the problem is. I’m a perfectly put together puzzle, except the last piece is missing, so the entire thing is soiled.

Without that missing piece, I’m soiled.

Our tiny house still smells of used boxes as we walk in as we’ve been taking our time unpacking. I startle when I see Misty, at how similar she is to me, her hair not quite as white, but still a shimmering blonde.

She’s pretty…not beautiful. But pretty.

She’s bent over, grabbing something from a box. Her eyes light up when she sees us, and I try to repress my immediate sense of jealousy. Of course she has to be blonde and well put together. I put on a fake smile, the one I’ve eloquently practiced my whole life.

“You must be Misty!” Dani hugs her, and I can already see her driving a wedge between us. Dani looks right at me. “Summer and I have been looking forward to having you here.”

We have not looked forward to her moving in, Dani has. The house isn’t big enough, but Dani likes to take in strays.

I smile sweetly. “Super excited. We get to share a bathroom.” Dani, of course, has the master bedroom with an ensuite since she’s paying more.

I took the loft bedroom, which means Misty and I will share the main bathroom, and I’m not happy about it.

Misty looks over at me and frowns. “Thank you for letting me stay here. There is literally no place to rent at all in this town, and the dorms were all full by the time I decided to come here.”

“No problem at all,” Dani assures her. “Right, Summer?” Dani responded to a last-minute plea for a roommate and offered our spare room. So here we are…

“Right.”

“I saw you in psychology,” Misty says, parting her perfect heart-shaped lips. I take in her appearance, evaluating her. She’s pretty, just not as pretty as me. Her frame is more boxy than curvy. She shifts uncomfortably, noticing me looking at everything but her eyes.

“Oh man,” Dani says, “that course is going to be brutal.”

She darts her gaze uncomfortably. “It’s going to be interesting. Dr. Garcia is fascinating, and did you see the TA?”

Dani gives me a wink and I ignore it.

He smiled at me, Dani. Relax.

“What did you think of that photo?” Misty asks.