didn’t want to think that because of her silence the night
before what they had was shattered. She knew she’d hurt
Cassia by not going to her, not talking things out, not
reassuring her or sticking with her, but she still hoped she
could make things better. That there wouldn’t have to be an
end or a fresh start. They’d already had their beginning and it
was beautiful. It was the most beautiful thing in Adalynn’s
entire life, and she wanted to cling to that night, that first
conversation, as the start of everything.
“Okay,” Cassia whispered. She reached for the phone, but
then stopped, her fingers curling in and flinching away. “I’ll
watch it.”
The first icy tendrils of apprehension washed through
Adalynn since she’d posted the video. She had plenty before
that, but after uploading it to several places, marvelous relief
had washed over her like cold water hitting sunburned skin.
She wasn’t afraid that Cassia would be displeased. She was
afraid that what she was finally doing wouldn’t be enough, or
that she’d acted too late and Cassia was too hurt, her faith in
Adalynn too shaken for her to trust in her or hope for a future
again.
“Thank you,” Adalynn said. She tried to keep her voice
from trembling, betraying how nervous she was, but it didn’t
really work.
She picked up the phone, opened her social media profile,
and flicked to her newest video. She didn’t even look to see
how many views it had, and she certainly didn’t check the
reactions or the comments. She turned the phone towards
Cassia and pressed play.
The sound of her own voice flooded the space between