34

Missy’s Point of View

I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.

For a second, I stood there frozen in the hallway, unsure if I was dreaming or if the past had just walked straight back into my life.

“Alexander?” I whispered.

When he turned to face me, it felt like time did that thing where everything around me blurred out, and it was just him standing there, looking taller, broader, and more intense.

I didn’t even think twice. My feet moved before my brain caught up.

And the next thing I knew, I was in his arms.

God, I missed him.

I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until I was against his chest.

His arms felt stiff at first, like he wasn’t sure what to do.but slowly, they wrapped around me, warm and familiar.

“I thought you weren’t coming back,” I mumbled, my voice muffled against his shirt. I couldn’t stop giggling, and I didn’t care how childish I sounded. “You just disappeared on us.”

“I missed you,” I admitted.

When I pulled back, his eyes scanned my face like he was memorizing it.

There was something off about his expression, but I didn’t want to think about that yet.

“I thought you hated me,” he said quietly.

The words punched a little hole in my chest.

I shook my head. “I was confused. A lot was going on. And then you left. No calls, no messages nothing.”

We stared at each other for a second too long.

I should’ve let go earlier. I didn’t mean for it to look that way me hugging him while I was with Nico. But I didn’t think Nico would be there.

Of course, the second I turned, there he was standing by the kitchen door, eyes locked on us.

Shit.

I moved toward Nico quickly, reaching for his hand. He looked calm on the outside, but I could see it in his eyes. He didn’t like what he saw.

“Hey! Look who’s back,” I said, trying to sound excited, as if I hadn’t just jumped into another man’s arms in front of my boyfriend.

Alexander spoke to him like nothing had happened, with that smooth tone of his, like they were still friends.

But they weren’t.

At least not the same way.

Nico didn’t say anything. He just stared.

I didn’t know what I expected from this reunion, but it wasn’t this quiet tension thick enough to choke on.

Still, Alexander smiled. Nico didn’t.

And I well, I was caught in the middle again, just like before.

That night, I kept tossing in bed, Nico’s arms around me, his breathing soft and steady.

But I couldn’t sleep.

Not with Alexander back. Not with the way he looked at me.

Not with the guilt crawling in my chest, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.

At least, I hoped I hadn’t.

But why did it feel like something had changed?

I couldn’t sleep.

No matter how much I turned, no matter how many times I adjusted my pillow, my thoughts wouldn’t stop racing.

My body was exhausted, but my mind was stuck on one loop Alexander is back.

His voice, the way he looked at me, the scent of his cologne, the way his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes all of it kept replaying in my head.

I missed him, more than I realized. But there was something different now. Something off.

He hugged me, yes. He smiled. He joked.

But he wasn’t him.

I threw my blanket off and padded quietly down the hall, past the dimly lit living room and into my twin brother’s room.

Mark was asleep or pretending to be, which he usually did when he didn’t want to hear me ramble.

“Mark,” I whispered, gently nudging his shoulder. “You up?”

He groaned into his pillow, voice muffled.

“If this is about snacks, go back to bed, Missy.”

“It’s not,” I said, sitting on the edge of his bed.

He rolled over to face me, blinking like a tired baby owl. “Then it better be about something dramatic.”

“It is.” I lowered my voice. “Alexander’s back.”

His eyes widened instantly. “What?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, wrapping my arms around my knees. “He’s here. In the house.”

“Since when? How?”

“I bumped into him in the kitchen like two hours ago. I was going to get cereal, and he was just there. Like he never even left.”

Mark sat up now, all sleep gone from his face. “What did he say? Where has he been all this time?”

“He said he needed to leave and clear his head. That he couldn’t deal with everything at once. He didn’t really go into detail.” I sighed.

“But, Mark… something’s changed.”

Mark squinted at me. “Changed how?”

I hesitated. “He’s different. He looks different, like he’s been through a lot. Tattoos, a new piercing, a colder look in his eyes.

He wasn’t the Alexander I remember. There was this wall up. Like... like I was looking at him, but he wasn’t looking at me the same way.”

“You think he’s hiding something?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I do. And I don’t know what it is, but it’s big. I could feel it.

He said all the right things, but none of it felt real. It was like he was trying to pretend he was okay.”

Mark was quiet, thinking hard. Then he asked, “You still have feelings for him?”

The question hit me like a slap. “What? No! I’m with Nico.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t,” he said calmly.

“But you used to love Alexander. Deeply. And then he left without a word. Now he’s back, and you’re lying awake in my room thinking about him.”

“I care about him, Mark,” I whispered.

“But not like that anymore. I just… he was my friend. He mattered to me. He still does. But I love Nico. Everything I feel for Nico is real. Strong. Safe.”

Mark nodded slowly. “Then why does this feel like it’s tearing you up?”

“Because I know Alexander,” I said, voice shaking.

“And that wasn’t him. Not fully. Something’s wrong, and it feels like he’s carrying something heavy. I can’t help but worry. And honestly, it scares me. What if whatever he’s hiding affects all of us?”

Mark leaned back on his elbows, staring at the ceiling for a moment. “He wouldn’t hurt you, Missy. Not intentionally.”

“I know,” I murmured. “But this version of him. he feels like a stranger.”

Mark turned his gaze to me. “Do you want to talk to Nico about it?”

“I don’t know yet,” I said truthfully. “I feel like I need to understand what’s going on first. I want to believe Alexander came back just to see us. But my gut says there’s more.”

We sat in silence for a while.

Then Mark muttered, “Maybe he came back because of you.”

I looked at him, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, maybe he saw how close you and Nico are now. And it got to him.

Maybe he regrets leaving.”

I didn’t respond.

Because deep down, I’d already thought the same thing.

But if he did come back for me, then what was he planning now?