~RAVEN~
The walls were closing in.
Cassie’s apartment smelled like vanilla candles and bad decisions.
Clothes were scattered everywhere, half-drunk wine bottles on the table, and her cat watching me from the couch like it could smell the rot in my soul.
I’d been here two nights. Two nights too long.
Cassie was getting tired of me already.
I could hear it in her voice this morning when she said, “Girl, I love you, but you gotta figure something out. My landlord doesn’t even know you’re staying here.”
She laughed after, like it was a joke, but we both knew it wasn’t.
I stood by the window now, staring out at the gray skyline.
The city lights blinked lazily in the distance. Somewhere out there, Ryder was with her.
Probably smiling. Probably touching her the way he used to touch me.
