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The marker sails over the sofa and hits the floor with a thud.

Mae sits up and rolls her eyes. “You totally do.”

Eva scrunches her nose. “Whatever. You still love me.”

Mae blows her a kiss and then Eva focuses back on me. “Sorry if I crossed a line. I just got a little excited when I saw Wylder.”

“It’s fine.” I start toward the stairway. “I’ll see you around,” I call out as I reach the bottom of the stairway.

“Yeah, definitely!” she shouts. “Let me know if you want to go to a party with us sometime!”

I give her a thumbs up from over my shoulder, then practically sprint up the stairway. This is why being friends with Wylder will be complicated. I’ve barely spent any time with him and girls are already asking me to set them up with him. It was the same way with my brother in high school. I learned early on that I had to be careful who I was friends with and this lesson came from being used a few times. I stopped that shit pretty quickly, though, and became way pickier with who I spent time with.

But being around my brother wasn’t a choice. He’s my family. Wylder is just a guy I met at a party. A nice guy, albeit, but still, I could walk away. Is it really worth the drama that’s going to come with being friends with him?

I’m not sure. But I have about a day to figure it out. Because I can still back out of going to this get together.

I play with the idea in my head as I enter my dorm. Zayla isn’t back yet. I don’t think so anyway, since all the lights are off. I turn the living room ones on and make my way over to the kitchen to get a drink of water. With a glass of water in my hand, I head to my room to grab a change of clothes and then I’ll go take a shower.

My phone buzzes as I’m setting the glass of water down on my nightstand. I dig it out, assuming it’s Wylder, but it’s from Zoe.

Zoe Bear: Do you ever wish you could get a do over?

My stomach drops as I read the message.

I sink down onto the bed and type a reply.

Me: Are you okay?

Zoe: Yeah, I’m just thinking about some stuff, like what might have been if we’d never gone to that party. Part of me wishes I could have a do over and not go, but then I wouldn’t have Will and Penelope.

I pause, considering how to respond. This isn’t the first time I’ve received messages like this from Zoe, however, these deep regretful messages usually mean she’s high.

I debate what to do. On the one hand, I was supposed to be gradually removing myself from the situation. But she has me worried.

So, I dial her number, but she sends me to voicemail then texts a few seconds later.

Zoe Bear: I can’t talk right now. I’m getting dinner ready. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?

Me: Okay. I just want to make sure you’re okay. Your messages make me think you’re sad.

Zoe Bear: I’m fine. I promise. I love you, Harper. You’ve always been a great sister to me even when I was so terrible to you.

Me: You weren’t terrible, Zoe. And I love you too. Call me tomorrow. I’d love to talk to you. I miss you.

Zoe Bear: I miss you too. Talk to you tomorrow.

Her messages have me concerned that she’s doing drugs heavily again. I know the drill—we’ve been down this road before where she dabbles a bit here and there, drinks only on nights, but that eventually shifts to day drinking, and snorting lines up her nose like it’s her oxygen and she can’t breathe without it.

I’m worried that’s where she’s headed and while my brother and I have dragged her away from that road several times, it’s getting harder not only to bring her back but for us to put in the energy to help her.

It’s exhausting and I loathe feeling that way, but I have this awful feeling that eventually a choice will have to be made.

Her or myself.

Chapter 10

Harper