I entered and slowly closed the door behind me.
The air felt heavy, humming with the silence between us.
I climbed onto the bed, my movements small and deliberate. August didn’t look at me; he just nodded once and began arranging his few clothes in the dresser. The faint rustle of fabric and the quiet thud of drawers filled the stillness.
Part of me wanted to call Dad — to ask if he’d been the one who forced him to come — but I decided some things were better left unknown. What I did know was that I was done being the pawn in their game.
I lay down, trying to force myself to sleep, but it wasn’t working. Every inch of my body ached from exhaustion, and yet my mind wouldn’t stop spinning.
When I stirred again, August had gone to shower. The sound of running water hissed softly behind t
