I know. Call me when you’re ready and I know you’re not ready bc u texted instead of calling. We’ll talk then.

The fact that Jada knew me well enough to call me out on that last text made me want to cry. Not because it hurt my feelings, but because it was evidence of just how well she knew me. She knew that, even though I’d become aware of how crappy of a friend I’d been, I still wasn’t ready to cross that bridge.

I put down the phone and rested my face in my hands. What was wrong with me? It wasn’t like I was incapable of speaking my mind every other five seconds, so why couldn’t I do it when it mattered most? Why was I taking the coward’s way out? Because that’s what I was doing. It was so opposite of everything about me. I could chase after Upper Level demons and jump off buildings and argue over everything from the consumption of water to what the best Marvel movie was, but I went graveyard silent when it was time to confront real personal issues.

When I needed to confront myself.

I scrubbed my fingers down my face as if rubbing my cheeks and eyes would somehow bring some sort of clarity to the situation.

It didn’t.

Slowly, I became aware that I was no longer alone. I lifted my head, dropping my hands to the cool granite as I looked over to where Zayne was standing just inside the living room.

He looked like he was about to say something, but then he just walked straight past me and grabbed a water from the fridge. Awkward silence ensued. Luckily, it was short-lived, since the buzz of Gideon’s arrival came soon after.

Gideon didn’t arrive empty-handed or alone. Surprisingly, Jasmine’s younger sister was with him. Danika’s glossy black hair was hanging loose around her shoulders. Seeing a female Warden outside a Community or a compound was unheard of.

“Hope you don’t mind me tagging along,” Danika said as she strolled past Zayne, punching him lightly on the shoulder. He grinned at her, and I felt a pang in my chest, having missed that grin. “I was bored and the twins are going through the terrible twos, so I needed out stat.”

“Aren’t the twins older than that?” Zayne asked.

“The terrible twos do not just start and end in one year, I’m learning.” She looked over at me. “You should see the look on your face right now.”

I blinked and then slid my glasses down. Her face came into more detail. “I’m sorry. I’m just not...”