Lost Hope

EIGHTEEN

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Will came up to her room after midnight.

He knocked and when she ignored it, he announced that he was coming in and opened the door with his eyes covered in case she was changing but she knew it was more in a joking way because she didn't answer.

She was sitting next to the window, her head rested against the glass.

Her mother had confiscated her laptop and phone.

Not before Athena threw it down on the floor, positively breaking it.

Ember called her mad, took the new phone Henry had given her for Christmas and left, slamming the door loudly.

"Hey," he said gently, closing his eyes briefly when he saw her reach to her cheeks and wipe the fallen tears.

"Any new decisions to ruin my life?" she said harshly, glaring at the tree she had been staring at for the past two hours.

Will sighed, sitting on the seat across hers. "You know that's not the aim."

"Seemed like it."

"Athena," he started, his tone calm, "I talked to Henry and I thought it was going to be a good change for you. You've been stuck here ever since you were born and I wanted you to get out, try something new. I know what it feels like, losing someone. I lost my mother when I was your age and I could never even look at the place the same way; so I went with my older brother on one of his work trips and I liked the change. I think you'll like it, too. Because, trust me, you're never going to get better if you stay in the same place, haunted by your own memories. You and Chris did everything together, you roamed this entire town together, you're not going to move on if you hold on to the past, okay? And if you're really against the whole thing, I can try to change your mother's opinion, even though she's stubborn and encouraged the idea..."

"Is that it?" she said hoarsely, head still on the window.

Will looked to the side, shaking his head.

"Let me be, Will. I know you're here to make sure I didn't run away using the window...I don't really have the energy for that." She tilted her head slightly to meet his eyes and let out an empty laugh, sounding as exhausted as she looked.

"You don't hang out in the basement so much these days," he said, looking dull.

She laughed again. "I can't even imagine being there after Chris, I went there once and I felt like shit."

"Can you at least tell me what you're going through, Thene? Help me here." His voice was close to begging and she could see how much it was hurting him to see her in that state.

"Nothing," she muttered.

"Fine," he snapped, getting to his feet. "Fine. But I'm taking you out tomorrow to get you a suitcase and new clothes and everything you want for your trip."

Her eyes were out of the window again. "Buy whatever you like," she mumbled.

Will clenched his jaw and strode to the door. "Don't stay up for too long."

She nodded and, with a sigh, he shut the door.

𝄞𝄥──────────𝄥𝄞──────────𝄞𝄥──────────𝄥𝄞

She never thought she would be standing in the foyer with a huge suitcase in the middle of the school year, alone.

Alone meant without Christophe.