As Harper and Alice's daring relationship continues to grow, more unforeseen circumstances threaten to unravel the fragile peace they've found together.
When a terrifying incident involving Harper's close friend Bella Swan shakes their world, Alice...
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"Harper?"
My eyes fluttered open, still raw and stinging from the endless tears. My mascara had long since run, leaving dark trails down my cheeks like ink bleeding through wet paper.
Above me stood my mother, one hand gently resting on my shoulder. Her eyes, wide with worry and confusion, searched my face.
Reality settled over me like a weight: I was still lying on the bench swing, frozen in place. My gaze flicked around the yard—nothing had changed.
She was still gone.
The world remained muted in its dull autumn hues, rain continuing to fall in thin, steady sheets. The only shift was the sky. Where it had once been overcast, it was now swallowed whole by darkness—no moon, no stars. Just an endless stretch of black.
"What are you doing out here, honey?" my mother asked, her voice tight with concern. "It's pouring, and it's pitch black!"
She tried to lift me, hands firm on my shoulders, struggling as if she feared I might collapse the second she let go.
"She's gone, Mom," I whispered, my voice trembling.
Her brow furrowed. "Who's gone?"
I hesitated, the name lodged like a thorn in my throat. "Alice."
She blinked, startled. "What do you mean, she's gone?"
My mother's expression shifted, her mouth parting slightly as she stood in the rain, her dark hair clinging to her face. Her eyes met mine—shocked, trying to piece it all together.
"What?" she breathed. "Why are they leaving?"
I paused, searching for the excuse Alice had given me—half-truths meant to keep the real reasons hidden.
"Carlisle got offered a new doctor position," I said, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. "Better pay. Better benefits. But they have to move for it."
"Did Alice say where they're going?" she asked next, catching me off guard.
I blinked back fresh tears, realizing I didn't know. "She did, I think... but I was so upset when she told me. I—I didn't really hear her."
A shadow of sympathy crossed her face. I dropped my gaze to my lap, no longer caring how soaked I was—how heavy my clothes felt, clinging to my skin.
"Couldn't you two try long distance?" she asked softly, desperate to find some thread of hope.
The ache in my chest deepened.
I wished that had been enough—wished this wasn't the end. But I appreciated her trying. Even if she didn't know the full story, she wanted to help me find a way to hold on.
