Page 95 of Shine Bright

“Hey.” Phoenix’s hand brushes mine, a cautious touch and a silent question.

I don’t pull away, I can’t. And then he takes me in his arms, and my body gives way. Just like that.

I sink toward him, and Phoenix catches me. He holds me tight, and I cling to him, sobbing. He’s warm, and only now, as I feel his warmth, do I realize how cold I am in my soaked dress, with my dripping hair. Suddenly I start to shiver, as if my body had been waiting for me to figure it out.

“It’s okay,” Phoenix murmurs, his lips brushing my forehead. “Everything will be okay.”

I would love so much to believe him.

Chapter 47

Phoenix

Lia is devastated. There’s no other way to describe it. She’s a wreck. Not to mention freezing cold.

I guide her into the shower, still in her clothes. Then I follow her, after at least taking off my jacket, and pull her close to me. She buries her face in my chest and can’t stop crying. Quiet sobs shake her body, her tears mixing with the warm water.

I stroke her wet hair, gently and soothingly, but inside me a storm is raging that is difficult to control because I don’t know what happened to her. I don’t know who the hell is responsible for her distraught state.

I’m desperate to ask her, but I remain silent, just holding her until the trembling eventually subsides and her skin feels warm and soft and like Lia again.

I turn off the water, warm clouds of steam floating through the small bathroom, and help Lia out of her wet clothes before wrapping her in a thick towel. Then I awkwardly peel off my hoodie and jeans, dry myself off, and leave her alone for a moment to get some dry clothes.

Lia remains silent, her gaze empty, and that scares the hell out of me.

I randomly pull hoodies and sweatpants out of the closet, and only when I hand Lia a sweatshirt do I realize that it’s my old New England School of Ballet hoodie. My heart skips a beat but immediately returns to its normal rhythm.

It’s the sweatshirt that Isabel used to wear and now Lia does, and all at once I want her to keep it. Despite everything that’s happened. Despite everything that stands between us. Or maybe because of it. Who knows.

“Thank you.” Her voice is hoarse from crying, and she keeps her head down, avoiding my gaze.

I just nod and reach for her hand. Our fingers intertwine all by themselves. For two or three heartbeats, we just stand silently in my small bathroom, which is quite warm because of the hot water. She’s the first to move, withdrawing her hand and running it nervously through her damp hair. Her eyes flicker, darting restlessly around the room, but never looking at me.

“I should . . .” She clears her throat, straightens her shoulders, and tries to put her mask back on, even as it lies in pieces somewhere between us on the floor. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come here. I should go.”

“No,” I say, my chest tightening painfully. She can’t leave. Not now. Not like this. “Please stay. Unless you really want to go. Do you?” A tone of uncertainty creeps into my voice, and Lia looks at me with wide eyes that are even greener than usual.

“I . . .” She hesitates, and the conflict in her gaze breaks my heart. “I can’t stay,” she whispers.

“Why not?”

“Because I . . . I sent you away. I pushed you away, rejected you. You shouldn’t want me to stay.”

I move toward her until I’m standing right in front of her; it happens all by itself. My hands are completely calm as I place them on her face. “That doesn’t answer my question. Do you want to go?”

“No,” she whispers, and I have to suppress a sigh of relief.

“Okay. Then come here.” I pull her into the bedroom with me, and we climb into bed, snuggling under the covers. Her head comes to rest on my chest, and something inside me that I didn’t even know was gone finds its rightful place again.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” I ask cautiously.

She shakes her head, nods, and shakes it again. And then she starts talking after all. “It’s my mom’s birthday today.”

I tense up. Damn. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I didn’t think this would be about her family. She hasn’t talked much about her family so far, only about Sam. Only about the brother she lost.

“Mom . . . didn’t tell me she was doing anything today. I only found out because Jase suddenly showed up at my place.”

“Your brother.”