The air in the car has become heavy. Mason laughs shortly without humor, dragging a hand across his face. “Fuck,” he remarks. “I guess it’s finally my turn to have my heart broken by Alina Castillo.”

His final statement is like a slap to the face, and I swallow the lump in my throat.

“I’m sorry,” I say, voice breaking. “Please understand.”

“If that’s what you want.”

The rest of the drive is uncomfortable, and I wish it didn’t have to end this way. We make our way into the city a couple of hours later, moving slowly through traffic to get to the address Audrey sent me earlier. When we pull up outside of an apartment complex, Mason helps me unload my things onto the sidewalk.

And then all that’s left is good-bye.

I stick my hands in my pockets, standing a couple of feet away from him on the pavement, and he looks at me for the first time in what feels like ages. I take in his dark hair and brilliant eyes, committing them to memory, feeling a pang of sadness in my chest.

He studies my face intently, as if he’s doing the same, and it causes my vision to blur again. I’ve never questioned my decision more than I am right now. What am I supposed to do without him?

“I guess that’s it,” he says, and I’m relieved to hear that the animosity has vanished from his voice.

I bite the inside of my cheek. “I guess so.”

“Take care, Alina.”

“You too.”

He clears his throat, turning to head back to the car, and panic creeps into my throat, spurring me to take a step forward. Before I know what I’m doing, my fingers are curling around his wrist, causing him to freeze. The moment he faces me again, I wrap my arms around his torso, breathing in his familiar scent and basking in the feeling of his arms around me for the last time when he finally returns the embrace.

“Thank you,” I whisper. “For everything. I hope when we meet again, it’s the right time.”

Reluctantly, I let him go, then rise onto my tiptoes to press a lingering kiss to his cheek. His mouth hitches into a half smile, and he runs his thumb along my bottom lip then steps away.

“Me too.”

I stay on the sidewalk long after he’s gone. There’s an inky blackness that’s made itself at home inside of me ever since that traumatic night in the woods, and it will take copious amounts of cleaning to get rid of the stain. I’ve yet to know if I’ve chosen the right path, and anxiety brews in my stomach at the fear of the unknown.

But for the first time that I can remember, my life feels like it’s mine.

Acknowledgments