Here I am.

Back in the small town I left eight years ago.

The day I walked out of that prison, leaving Everest behind, Austin took me home, and I packed my things. My cousin Sarah drove me to the airport, and I left for New York.

My mother's sister, Marlyn, lived there with her ten kids. It was cramped, but I had my own room. I finished high school, then college. And one day, I decided it was time to come home.

"OH MY GOD, AVERY!"

Sarah's voice echoes through the airport before I even see her. Within seconds, she's throwing herself at me, squeezing me so tight I can barely breathe.

"Hey, Sarah," I manage, laughing as she finally lets go.

"Come on! We should go now before the other girls get back from afternoon classes."

Sarah lives in a sorority house in town. When she says we need to leave now, she means her sisters don't like outsiders hanging around.

We hop into her beat-up pink buggy and start the drive home. Memories rush back as we pass through the center of town. My lips curl into a small smile, but my throat tightens when I see two bikers smoking on the sidewalk.

"So, how have you been?" I ask, shifting my gaze to Sarah.

"Oh my God, amazing! Parties all the time, straight A's—well, some B's. I'm kind of seeing a couple of guys here and there. Sorority stuff keeps me busy. Except today, of course, because you came home!"

She keeps talking, and I just listen, letting her voice fill the silence as we pull up to a big brick house.

Sarah practically runs to the door while I take my time, taking it all in.

As soon as I step inside, I'm tackled to the floor.

"Hi, Brooklyn!" I laugh, hugging her back as we collapse in a fit of giggles.

"I missed you so much, you bitch! You haven't called or texted me!" she says, shoving my shoulder playfully.

"I'm sorry! I just... wasn't in the right place up there, you know?"

Brooke gives me a knowing smile. "Yeah, I get it."

She helps me up and leads me into the kitchen, where Sarah is already digging through the fridge.

"Enough about us—what about you?" Sarah asks, handing me a beer.

I take a sip, glancing between the two of them. "Nothing much, just finished school."

Sarah gasps. "No boyfriend?!"

I choke, nearly spitting my beer back into the bottle. "NO! No... there wasn't anyone up there for me."

She eyes me curiously, but before she can press further, a group of girls floods into the house, chattering loudly.

As I linger near the doorway, one of the girls—a redhead—looks me over. "Hey... who's this?"

"Oh, this is my cousin," Sarah says quickly, grabbing my arm. "She's just visiting. She just got back into town."

"Well, aren't you going to introduce her?" another girl pipes up, adjusting her bright pink lipstick.

Before Sarah can answer, Brooke grins. "This is Avery!"

A hush falls over the room. Then, a girl steps forward, eyes wide.

"Avery King?"

I hesitate. "Um... yeah?"

Her lips part in realization. "Oh my God, you're that girl whose parents got murdered!"

The room erupts with gasps. My stomach drops.

"Yeah, hey, weren't you dating that biker dude?"

"Oh my God, yeah! Do you think you could get us into one of their parties?"

"Please! We've been trying for years!"

Too many voices. Too many questions. My mind races.

"Um—"

"She'll let us know, okay?" Brooke interrupts, shoving me toward the door.

Sarah quickly closes it behind us.

She sighs. "I have to stay. I'm president now, so I have meetings and agendas to deal with."

I nod. "That's okay. I can walk. My nana's place isn't far from here."

Sarah pulls me in for a quick hug. "I'll try to see you later?"

"Yeah."

She disappears back inside as I grab my bags from her car and start walking.

It's only a few blocks to my grandparents' house, and with each step, my nerves settle. Finally, I stop in front of a small yellow house.

I smile.

I've always loved this house. Something about it has always felt like home.



I hesitate before knocking, my fingers hovering over the wood. But eventually, I do.

A few moments pass before I hear footsteps approaching. My grandmother appears in the doorway, looking like she just stepped out of the kitchen, her apron dusted with flour. She freezes when she sees me, eyes wide in shock.

"Gregory! Get out here quickly!" she calls, her voice trembling with emotion.

Heavy footsteps echo from inside. "What's wrong, hon—AVERY!" My grandfather's booming voice fills the space before he pulls me into a bear hug.

"We knew you were coming, but we didn't know when!" he says, his grip firm, his warmth overwhelming.

"Oh, darling, we're just so glad you're here. We've missed you!" Nana chimes in, taking my hand and leading me inside.

She guides me to my old room and pushes open the door. "We didn't change anything because, well, we remember how picky you were about your room when you were little!"

I smile, a rush of nostalgia hitting me. "Thanks, Nana, but you really didn't have to do that. I'm just happy you guys are letting me stay here."

She squeezes my hand before stepping out, leaving me alone in the familiar space. I drop my duffel bags onto the floor and sit on the bed, taking a moment to breathe.

The room is small, the white walls bare, the dark hardwood floors polished but aged. Slowly, I start unpacking, placing my clothes in the closet and dresser drawers, finding small comforts in the routine.

In the attached bathroom, I put away my essentials, organizing them neatly. As I sift through my things, my fingers brush against a picture frame. I pull it out carefully.

It's a photo of me and my parents.

The memory washes over me like a wave. That summer had been nothing but rain—until that one perfect, sunny day. My parents took me to the lake they had visited as kids, and we spent the entire day there, laughing, swimming, existing in a world untouched by time.

I set the picture on my nightstand, letting the memory settle before finishing my unpacking.

Afterward, I step into the living room, where my grandfather is watching TV, his eyes fixed on the screen. Nana is back in the kitchen, humming softly as she cooks.

"Hey, Pap, do you have any paint?" I ask, leaning against the doorway.

He looks up briefly and nods. "Should have a few buckets down in the basement."

I head to the basement door, flipping on the light as I make my way down the old wooden stairs. Each step creaks beneath me, the air thick with the scent of dust and memories.

Rows of paint cans sit along the wall. I open them one by one, searching until I find it—a deep, rich blue. It's perfect. The color will go well with the white walls, giving the room a sense of calm.

That's how I spend the rest of my day—painting, rearranging, making the space my own.

Later, as the sun starts to set, I decide to visit an old antique store. The same one Everest and I used to go to all the time.



I have a small savings account for personal use, but the bulk of my money is set aside strictly for emergencies. I've already used half of it.

I stare at my laptop screen, lost in thought, when a voice pulls me back.

"Looks nice."

I glance up to see Pap standing in the doorway, his arms crossed as he surveys my freshly painted room.

Closing my laptop, I get up from the bed and walk over to him. "Yeah, I just thought it needed a bit of my touch, you know?"

He nods, a small smile on his face. "Well, we're heading to bed. Nana's already asleep. Just wanted to check on you before hitting the hay. You know where everything is, but knock if you need us."

He presses a kiss to my forehead before gently closing the door behind him.

I let out a deep sigh and change into an oversized T-shirt, underwear, and my favorite fuzzy socks before heading to the bathroom. I brush my teeth, going through the motions, my mind already slipping into the haze of exhaustion.

Finally, I crawl under the covers, my body sinking into the mattress.

Tomorrow's another day.

Absence and peace

Your absence taught me

How to live without you

Time away taught me

To find peace

In being alone