HAZEL
It’s been a full twenty four hours since I last spoke to Asher. Not that I’ve been counting. No. I’ve been doing exactly what he told me to do. Keep my distance. Not disrupt his peace. Live my life. Go to class.
“Hazel?” Rachael taps my shoulder. She snags my attention away from the notebook I’ve been scribbling on. I look at her and ashes staring at me with a look of concern. “Are you okay?”
Am I okay? How do I even begin to answer that question?
“Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”
We are in class. Usually, I’ll be all set up in the middle of hall but today, I’m in the back. I’m wearing the largest hoodie I own, trying to make myself as scarce as possible.
Asher isn’t in class and I’m too proud to call him.
“Are you sure you’re good?” Rachael insists. “You’ve been scri
