"Grief doesn't leave. It just learns to sit quietly in the corner while you pretend to live."
"Phoebe!!! Get your skinny ass out here before I come drag you myself!"
"Language!" I yelled back, a smile already forming on my lips.
I could picture it perfectly—Ava rolling her eyes like the world personally offended her, and Harper shaking her head with that soft laugh of hers.
My people.
For a moment… things felt normal.
And then the guilt came, sharp and uninvited.
How dare I feel okay when Zara never got the chance to?
I pushed the thought away and stepped out of my room.
"Girls, we're going to college, not getting married," I said, walking into the living room in oversized sweatpants and a tank top, my hair doing whatever it wanted. I tried a messy bun earlier—the only thing messy about it was the failure.
Ava looked me up and down like I had personally insulted fashion.
"First of all, college is a big deal. Second, we won't even be together thanks to your life choices. And third…" she paused dramatically, "…why do you look like a rejected background character in a zombie movie?"
Harper laughed softly, covering her mouth.
"Wow. Love the support," I muttered.
"Look," I added, quieter this time, "you know why I chose journalism."
A brief silence followed.
"We know," Harper said gently. "We just… want you to be happy too. Not just… surviving."
I forced a smile. "I am happy. I have you guys. I just—"
"Nope!" Ava clapped loudly. "We are not doing this today. Today is a good day. Now come here and let me fix this tragedy you're wearing."
Before I could protest, she was already dragging me back into my room.
After what felt like a hundred outfit changes and Ava nearly disowning me twice, we finally settled on something she deemed "acceptable."
A white lace dress hugged my waist and fell just above my knees—simple, soft, but flattering in a way I wasn't used to anymore. Harper kept the makeup light, just enough to bring life back to my face. Ava insisted on heels.
When I looked in the mirror… I paused.
For a second, I almost didn't recognize the girl staring back at me.
"You look absolutely illegal," Ava said from behind me. "Like… this should come with a warning label."
I laughed.
And this time… it felt real.
"Now keep this up," she continued, "and trust me, men will be falling over themselves."
"Oh please," I scoffed. "I'm focused."
They both burst out laughing.
And for a split second… I heard Zara's laugh in theirs.
Same lightness. Same warmth.
My chest tightened.
I laughed along anyway.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The rest of the day moved faster than I wanted it to.
We shopped—well, they shopped like they were preparing me for a runway debut. By the time we were done, we had so many bags the sales guy had to help carry them out. He kept throwing glances at me like I was part of the purchase.
Ava noticed, of course.
"See?" she whispered loudly. "You're already causing problems."
I rolled my eyes.
We ended the day at a restaurant. Nothing fancy—just somewhere quiet with soft music and warm lighting. The plan was simple: eat, talk, go home.
Simple never lasts.
We had just ordered when I stood up.
"Bathroom," I said.
"Mm-hmm," Ava hummed behind me. "Watch those hips before you cause an accident."
I turned to glare at her—
—and walked straight into a wall.
Or so I thought.
I fell hard, landing on the floor with zero dignity left in my body.
"Great," I muttered, already annoyed as I looked up to snap...
And then I froze.
Not a wall.
Not even close.
A man.
No—a problem.
Tall. Coffee Skin. Breathtaking (Literally). Effortlessly put together in a simple t-shirt and jeans like he didn't even need to try. There was something about him… something unsettling beneath the surface of all that calm.
For a second, I forgot how to breathe.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
His voice…
Smooth. Controlled. Almost too controlled.
"Oh my God, she's gone," Ava whispered dramatically from somewhere behind me. "We lost her."
A soft chuckle escaped him.
That sound?
It did something I didn't like.
I blinked, suddenly aware that I was still sitting on the floor staring at him like an idiot.
Heat rushed to my face.
"I—uh—sorry," I mumbled, scrambling to my feet. "I didn't see you."
"That's obvious," Ava added helpfully.
"AVA."
He smiled slightly.
And I swear… there was something in that smile.
Something I couldn't place.
Something that didn't sit right.
"Be more careful next time," he said.
Not harsh. Not kind either.
Just… certain.
I nodded quickly and walked past him, faster than necessary.
My heart was beating harder than it should have.
And I didn't know why.
"So?" Ava leaned forward the moment I got back. "Future husband or tragic mistake?"
"Neither," I said quickly, grabbing my glass of water.
Harper smiled knowingly but said nothing.
I tried to focus on the conversation, the food, the laughter.
But something lingered.
A feeling I couldn't explain.
Like I had just brushed past something dangerous…
And didn't realize it in time.
That night, as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, sleep nowhere in sight—
His face flashed in my mind.
Then Zara's.
Then darkness.
And for the first time in a long while…
The nightmare didn't feel like a memory.
It felt like a warning.