She thought he hadn’t noticed that she only talked to him about the search or that she didn’t leave her room except at mealtimes. Or that the book on her side table still had a bookmark in the same spot from weeks prior.

He knew the death struck her hard, and he had never experienced the loss she had before.

She thought she was broken. Her sobs from that night replayed in his mind like a catchy melody; it made his heart ache terribly. He wanted to scorch whoever made her feel that way to ashes. The images of her tear-stained face made him realise that he had never had to comfort anyone before and how useless he was at it.

And he kissed her, kissed her when she was upset, kissed her at the worst possible time. And they hadn’t talked about it since, and Kellan didn’t think they should.

He let himself into the girls’ apartment to see all four of them.

He could hear the usual chatter and banter between the girls he had come to love and even take part in.

They all waved at him; Circe scooted over in her chair for him. Agatha handed him a colourful bowl of food, he immediately started filling the flatbread with it.

Kalcifer, Elnora’s brown tabby, was in the corner of the room, looking rigid, hissing.

‘What’s his problem?’ Kellan asked.

Elnora leant her head back. ‘He’s just mad because, when I was having a bath, he accidentally fell in the water.’

She stuck her tongue at her cat as if he could understand what she was doing.

He glanced over at Bethan with a surge of happiness, seeing her dressed and out of bed.

She remained quiet, though. Her face was pale, and he knew she hadn’t gone outside since the funeral.

Like him, bags rested underneath her round eyes. She stood up, throwing the remains of her uneaten lunch in the rubbish bin.

He leant over to Circe. ‘Do you think she is feeling better?’

He whispered so that she wouldn’t hear. Circe shook her head and whispered back, ‘It’s the anniversary of Dana’s death.’

He was met with a sinking feeling but straightened to hide his concern. He bit his lower lip, and his thoughts were put into words when Bethan turned around.

‘Do you want to go to the bookstore today?’ he asked.

‘She won’t say yes,’ Elnora murmured into her teacup, her fox eyes peering in his direction.

He rolled his own and looked around the table for support.

Agatha’s soft chin raised, and she nodded encouragingly. Kellan wasn’t sure why Agatha had been treating him so nicely, but he was pleased by it, nonetheless.

‘I think it will do you good,’ she told her.

Bethan stared between him and Agatha, brown eyes darting back and forth.

She looked as if she was an animal trapped in a corner.