Chapter 44
Chapter 5
I stepped between them. “Sean, this is Xavier, his mom and mine go way back. Xavier, Sean. We grew up next
door p>
Sean’s expression went dark, his mouth opening as if he had more to say, when a voice caught on a sob cut in from behind him. “Did you even ask her p>
Sarah stood just behind him on the porch, her eyes swollen and red, lips pressed into a thin line.
Something flickered across Sean’s face as he turned to me. “Were you at my place this afternoon p>
“Yeah. I ran into your mom, and she invited me over for lunch p>
Sarah started crying the second the words left my mouth.
“What the hell did you say to my mom? She just told Sarah she has to find her own place once grad school starts. She’s being p>
He shook his head. “I’m the one who decided to stay. If you want to be pissed at someone, be pissed at me.
Leave Sarah out of it p>
His voice dropped, harder. “Go fix this. Tell my mom what’s really going on. Or I swear, Lily, you don’t want to start the semester on my bad side p>
The buyers were waiting. I didn’t have the energy for this. “Fine p>
Sean went completely still, like my answer had short-circuited something in his head. “Wait, what do you mean, fine p>
I met his eyes for a second, then shut the door in his face.
Once the paperwork was done, I started the final pass through the house. The furniture would stay.
Most of my clothes were already gone, donated or trashed. What was left fit into a few boxes, documents, old photo albums, and a small tin container I hadn’t opened in months.
The tin box held every birthday gift Sean had ever given me. Ten years’ worth, from seven to seventeen. Paper roses he’d fumbled through folding. A star projector he’d saved his allowance for. A charm he’d hiked miles to a little mountain chapel to get before my college entrance exams.
Eighteen was the only year missing. It had been a Saturday. We’d been at his place working on our applications. Things had already started to shift between us by then, a silent tension I couldn’t quite name.
He’d spent the entire afternoon drilling Sarah on grad school interview questions, barely noticing I was there.
Chapter 5
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It stung, but I wasn’t about to let her see that.
When I got up to leave, I leaned close and kept my voice low. “It’s my birthday p>
He stopped, something like guilt crossing his face. “I’ll go grab it right now. It’s already wrapped.” But before he could move, Sarah spoke up. “Sean? I’m still stuck on this one. Can you walk me through it again p>
His eyes went from me to Sarah and back again. The pause lasted long enough that I knew what was coming. “Just head home. I’ll stop by after we’re done p>
I stayed up waiting. Midnight came and went. He never showed.
The next day at school, there was still no gift. When I brought it up, he just looked at me like I was being ridiculous. “Do you have any idea what Sarah’s birthday is like? She’s never had a real one. Not once p>
My phone buzzed, pulling me back to the present. Xavier sounded out of breath when he picked up. “Everything’s at the shipping store, books, the important stuff. You need me to pick up anything else p>
“No, I’m good. I’ll meet you there.” I hung up and stared at the tin box in my hands for a long moment before setting it down with the rest of the trash.
Our flight left that evening. I said my goodbyes to Mrs. Hunter and called a cab to meet Xavier. Sean was the last person I expected to see on the way.
Chapter 5
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