THE GIFT

Chapter 6 The retreat

I didn’t leave my apartment for 48 hours.

I told myself it was because of my head. Because of my dad.

The truth: I had Lila’s keychain in my fist and I was terrified of what it meant.

Pink. Chipped. Music note.

The police told me they never found it.

Elias had it in a bowl. Like it was nothing.

He texted.

_“You good?”_

_“I have groceries. Can I leave them at your door?”_

_“Please tell me you’re okay.”_

I didn’t answer.

I watched the peephole at 10:43pm when I heard him stop outside my door.

He stood there for a full minute. Then left.

If I ignored him long enough, maybe he’d stop being a problem.

Maybe he’d stop being the man who saved me.

Maybe he’d stop being the man who was lying.

Day three, I ran out of food.

I threw on a hoodie and sunglasses and went to the store at 7am. Hoping not to see anyone.

“Hey.”

Of course I saw him.

Elias was by the cereal. No jacket. Hair a mess. Dark circles under his eyes.

Like he hadn’t slept either.

“You’re not answering,” he said. Quiet.

“I’m fine,” I said. Grabbed a box. Anything.

“You don’t look fine.”

His eyes dropped to my hands. To the way I was clutching the cart.

“Can we talk? For five minutes. At your place. Please.”

“No.” The word came out sharper than I meant.

I walked away. My heart was pounding.

I thought that was the end of it.

I thought if I put distance between us, the keychain would stop burning a hole in my pocket.

That night the knock came.

Soft. Three times.

I didn’t move.

“Please,” his voice came through the door. “Just let me check on you. Your dad called me.”

My stomach dropped.

“What?”

“He said he’s coming back tomorrow. He said you have questions about Lila that you won’t ask him.”

I opened the door. Just an inch. Chain still on.

Elias looked wrecked.

“I’m not here to lie to you,” he said. “I’m here because if he touches you again I won’t be able to live with myself.”

“Why do you care?”

“Because someone should.”

He didn’t push. Didn’t force the door.

After a minute he nodded. “Lock it behind me.”

And he left.

I locked the door. All three locks.

Then I went to my bedroom to cry.

That’s when I saw it.

On my pillow.

A paper star.

Folded from sheet music.

Lila’s song.

The one I never told him about.

The one I never told anyone about.

He was in my apartment. And I didn’t hear a thing-