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I nod, though a strange disappointment sinks in my chest. ‘Do you want me to leave?’
His eyes lift to mine immediately. ‘No.’
The answer is instant and certain, and I fight back a smile.
‘I’ll just hang out then.’
‘You’re mine after midnight,’ he says, just like he used to, when he would get to my house so late.
People brush past us now, laughter rising. The park is officially alive, and yet, in this small pocket of space, it feels like it is just us again. Like nothing else really matters.
‘I’ve missed you,’ I say suddenly, the words escaping before I can stop them, and my cheeks burn at the confession. I should be angry with him, but the resentment I once carried has faded. I’m too tired to keep clinging to the past, especially when we never even got to speak about it. I try not to think about it at all. It hurts too much.
It’s impossible to see Ash’s reaction behind the mask. He doesn’t respond right away. Instead, he tugs his sleeves down from his elbows to his wrists, covering his ink-laced arms. He didn’t have tattoos like that when I knew him. He now has two full sleeves.
‘I never stopped,’ he says at last.
His honesty makes me breathe easier. There were so many times I wondered if he still cared for me. Now, he confirms he always did. Just like I did for him, even though I’m the one who pushed him away.
Lights flash brighter overhead. Somewhere nearby, a bell rings, announcing the start of the night’s attractions. Ash takes half a step back, like he’s forcing himself to create distance.
‘I need to go,’ he says.
I nod, though part of me wants to reach out, grab his sleeve, and keep him here in the light, where I can steal him for a little longer. I resist the urge, still feeling flustered from our words of honesty.
He turns back to me, the corner of his mouth lifting. ‘Stay close to the haunted maze.’
‘Why?’
His eyes darken just a fraction. ‘So I can find you.’
Then he’s gone, swallowed by the crowd and the growing darkness, leaving me standing there with the echo of his words and the unmistakable feeling that tonight is the first of many that I will be spending in the shadows with him.
21
BRYN
Five Years Ago
My feet strike against the track, still damp from the morning dew. Magpies sing from along the fence line, and I give them a cautious look, praying they’re not in a swooping mood. I round the bend, my ponytail brushing my neck. Coach’s whistle cuts through the air somewhere behind me, but I don’t slow. I know my pace. The school oval opens up around me. A couple of girls from my year stretch near the sidelines, talking about assignments and parties and things that feel strangely unimportant. I pass them without stopping, my lungs burning.
This is my life now. Early mornings. Training before class. Ice baths, protein bars and teachers who tell me I’ve got ‘real potential’ if I just keep my head straight. When Coach finally calls time, I slow to a jog, then a walk, my hands braced on my hips as I catch my breath. Sweat drips down my spine, the sun already warm on my back even though it’s barely past eight.
The bell rings loudly and the oval starts to empty. I sling my bag over my shoulder and head toward the lockers, legs pleasantly sore, mind already shifting to the rest of the day. I miss Ash. I wish he was here with me, and my two best friends were too. This place is incredibly lonely. I’ve made a few friends, but nothing’s quite the same as it was back home.
My gaze drifts across the oval, where I catch sight of Isla at the far edge of the field. She’s crouched down near a tall, scruffy guy I don’t recognise, his hat pulled low and his shoulders hunched. I curve my hand over my eyes to shield them from the sun. She glances over her shoulder as he hands her something.
‘What the?’ I say aloud, watching her with a scrutinised stare. The entire exchange looks sketchy, and I have a bad feeling about it.
The guy leans closer to Isla and whispers something into her ear, and she tenses up, giving a firm nod before shoving to her feet and stalking back toward the main building. My heart thuds against my ribs. The guy glances around like he’s making sure no one else is watching, then straightens and hops into a dark dented car parked just beyond the fence. The engine roars to life, tyres crunching on the gravel.
He’s definitely not a student – definitely not someone who belongs here. Isla lingers outside the school building for a moment, glancing after him, hands fidgeting with whatever he gave her.
Tahlia, the closest friend I have here so far, catches up to me with her usual easy grin. She’s shorter than me, wiry and fast, the kind of runner who always seems just a step ahead, even when she’s matching my pace.
‘Heya,’ she says breathlessly, nudging me lightly with her shoulder.
We’ve been running together for a few weeks now, ever since she invited me to join her on these morning laps. Tahlia’s easy to talk to and seems very chill, which is why we have clicked.
