The sound of my door slamming shut echoes down the quiet street. A few scattered street lights still glow softly in the early, purple dawn, casting shadows along smooth, black pavement.

It’s probably the nicest road in all of NEPA. Not a single pothole to be seen.

I quietly let myself into Ivy’s place with my key.

Somewhere, a clock ticks rhythmically, but it’s otherwise silent as I make my way up the stairs of the two-story condo and down the hall. I bypass the spare bedroom and make-shift art studio. The soft glow of the nightlight in the bathroom flickers under my shadow as I reach the end of the hall where Ivy sleeps in the master bedroom.

The door’s already open, so I leave it be as I sneak my way into her room. Purple fairy lights hang haphazardly across the headboard, giving the room a hellish glow. The mountain of blankets on the king-size bed doesn’t stir, but a raspy voice fills the room just as I reach the bed. “Fuck off.”

Smiling, I toe off my shoes and whisper, “I’ve missed you too, dear cousin.”

The mattress sinks as I pull back her metallic silver bedspread and climb in with her. She slides over to give me room, grumbling into the pillow, but otherwise doesn’t put up a fight.

She had to know it was only a matter of time before my patience ran out and I gave her no choice but to talk to me. Not that she’s going to make it easy...

But she’s not chasing me out of her room with the knife she keeps under her pillow, so that’s something.

She remains face-planted into the pillow, her black hair a nest of knots fanned out around her head as I stare up at the ceiling. I count as the seconds pass, as my heart ticks steadily from inside my chest. My ribcage rises with a deep breath.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale—

“I kissed Will.”

Ivy doesn’t say anything right away. Hell, she doesn’t even move—not a twitch of muscle, not a hitch of breath...

Nothing.

My words seem to linger in the air as seconds give way to minutes, hovering over us like a rubber band about to snap. Echoing in my ears as I wait for the inevitable explosion.

Complete and utter silence stretches out between us like the shadows crawling across the ceiling, and I think, stupidly, Is this it? Is this really it?

“Say something,” I grit out.

Slowly, so slowly, my cousin rolls over to face me.

I feel her watching me—studying me—but I’m frozen. Trapped by the irrational fear that I’ll lose her because of this.

Because I know it’s irrational. I know she’ll love me no matter what.