Circe stood in nothing but a bra and underwear, glaring at them with curled fists. And Bethan wondered if Circe was going to all but charge at them for this intrusion. She threw a sideward glance at Agatha and saw she was quickly covering herself with a knitted throw blanket.

Kellan had already shielded his eyes.

Elnora burst out in laughter, sounding like a cackling parrot, which made Bethan shudder.

Agatha did not face either of them, and all Bethan wanted to do was hug her friend.

‘How did we not know this was a thing?’ Elnora said, nudging Bethan.

Bethan rolled her eyes at Elnora, touching her. Circe’s eyes darted at her, but she didn’t say anything.

Kellan still held his hands over his eyes and whispered.

‘I knew it.’

Bethan snorted; Agatha seemed to relax and quickly reach for her clothes.

‘How long?’ Elnora said excitedly.

‘The end of summer, while you two were visiting your families,’ Circe answered.

‘That long?’

Bethan couldn’t believe that they kept a whole relationship a secret for that long and even under their roof.

‘Can I open my?’ Kellan asked. ‘Is everyone decent?’

Bethan grabbed his hand and pulled it from his eyes.

He shot Agatha and Circe a sweet smile of encouragement.

‘Wait a second,’ Circe said with a finger pointing at her and Kellan. ‘Bethan, why were you in Kellan’s apartment so late at night?’

Bethan’s face paled while Kellan grinned like an evil genius.

‘They’re holding hands,’ she sang.

Bethan rolled her eyes again.

‘Unbelievable,’ Elnora said, throwing her arms in the air. ‘I break up with Sam, and you have all been in secret relationships this whole time. Here I was excited that we were all finally single.’

Circe laughed, but Agatha was clearly uncomfortable with everyone staring at her.

Kellan seemed to clock on quickly.

‘I’m going to bed; I’ll see you lovely ladies in the morning,’ he announced.

Bethan kissed him goodbye, and in the corner of her eyes, she saw Agatha pout; her Elmwood eyes sparked with sadness.

That torch that Agatha held for her and Tharin getting back together had officially been extinguished, and not only because of her intense feelings for Kellan but because Tharin was an awful man and was capable of dangerous things.

She watched as Kellan shut his door behind him.

Glancing back she tried her best to suppress her animosity for Elnora. She was so mad at herself that Kellan was right all along.

She was happy, though, happy that her friends were happy.

She hugged both of them before trailing to her bedroom.

‘Bethan,’ Elnora called out, ‘do you want some tea?’

She didn’t answer and locked her bedroom door.

Bethan slumped into her desk chair and read her favourite novel. A draft flew in the air, a smooth feminine voice filled her mind.

Did you miss me? Said the familiar voice. Bethan could have cried.