Page 64 of Ashen Souls
“So did I.”
The pause stretched. I could feel my pulse beating at the base of my throat.
He adjusted his stance, as if deciding something.
“Good night, Aveline.”
He stepped back.
“Oh.” I forced a smile of my own, ignoring the sudden tightness in my chest. “Good night.”
He hesitated a second, then turned and walked away.
I watched until the corner swallowed him.
Only then did the disappointment settle in.
I hadn’t expected anything, or at least, that’s what I’d told myself.
And still.
I stayed where I was for a moment, my hand resting against the cold glass of the door.
Daylight had been kind to me.
Letting it go hurt more than I expected.
17
Ilingered against the glass until the chill seeped through my coat. By the time I dragged myself upstairs and unlocked my apartment, the silence felt deafening.
I leaned my forehead against the wood, letting out a breath. Dropping my bag onto the nearest chair, I kicked off my shoes and retrieved my phone.
It vibrated in my palm, instantly lighting up with a barrage of missed texts.
Harper (7:12 PM): Hello???
Harper (7:26 PM): are you alive or did the library claim you as a permanent resident
Harper (7:41 PM): if you’re still “writing your essay” I’m calling academic services to report a crime
Harper (8:19 PM): okay. rude.
Harper (9:02 PM): either you’re still writing, you’re dead, or you’re having sex. there are no other options
Harper (9:18 PM): if you got murdered please haunt me. I hate unresolved narratives
Harper’s absurdity dragged a laugh out of me, dulling the sting of my disappointment.
The living room was lit only by the muted blue glow of the TV. Harper was sprawled across the couch, one sock missing, her hair falling over her face. An abandoned mug sat on the floor, while the show she’d put on hummed quietly in the background.
I grabbed the blanket from the armchair and draped it over her. “Night, chaos.”
She shifted, mumbled into the cushions, and settled further in.
Retreating to my bedroom, I changed into an old long-sleeve T-shirt. I sank onto the edge of the mattress, the dark cracked screen of my phone still in my hand as my mind drifted back to the front door.
Ethan’s smile resurfaced: the softer, unguarded one that had flashed just for a second before he caught himself and stepped back. He could have kissed me. Instead, he had said goodnight. It was a boundary that should have made things simpler, yet somehow, it only made the knot in my chest tighter.
