The morning sun seeped through the curtains in Katie’s room, casting soft rays over the scattered pillows and blankets, empty snack bags, and soda bottles. I dimmed my eyes against the sunlight, the weight of Alex and Kyren's text still on my mind. Katie and Nyla were still fast asleep, their soft snores breaking the silence in the room. I slipped out of the blankets as quiet as I could, grabbing my phone from the side table.
I stared at my screen, and Kyren’s message from the night before stared back at me.
“Hey, Em. I’m back in town, can we meet tomorrow?” I had not replied to him. I didn’t know what to say. But now, staring back at my phone, I felt the need to see him. Kyren had always been there for me, someone I know I could run to when everything else around me was crumbling.
I
