Three years.
It had been three years—three years locked inside that house, hidden from the world.
Three years since Kieran disappeared.
Three years sincethat day.
The day I walked into the room and saw them together—
her golden hair in his hands, his mouth on hers, the sound of my own heart breaking so loud I thought they’d hear it.
My chest ached just remembering.
Then they left me.
Both of them.
He left me.
And the worst part?
A piece of me was still waiting for him to come back.
My parents said it was for my own good. They kept me covered, kept me away.
Before, seeing Kieran from my window had been the only thing that made it bearable.
He used to send me little gifts. Notes.
Sometimes, at night, he would sing to me — when he knew I couldn’t sleep, when he knew how empty my attic space was. On those nights Mother locked me inside, as if I were some kind of dangerousthing, I would press my ear to the window frame and listen. His voice was soft, cracked on the high notes, but it made me feel safe.
When he was gone, I had no one.
Only Beth—and she was never going to be enough.
I stayed. Alone.
Sable wrote to me a few times, of course.
And now she was gone too.
I closed my eyes.
I can do this. I can be strong.
I am strong.
I took a deep breath and stood. Flushed. Washed my hands.
In the mirror, a pale stranger stared back at me.
Hollow eyes. Silver hair falling loose from the cap.
A ghost.
Maybe he won’t even recognise me anymore.
The moment I stepped outside, someone caught my elbow.
