MasukJordan’s POVAfter the HospitalI don’t realize how close I am to losing control until we get outside.The air hits different out here. Warmer. Louder. Real.But my head is still in that room.His voice. His face. The way he said don’t push her away.I shouldn’t care.I do.And that’s the problem.Miley’s still standing in front of me, her hand in mine like it belongs there. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world.It’s not.None of this is.“This,” I say quietly, lifting our joined hands slightly, “is exactly what I meant.”Her eyes flick between our hands and my face. “What is?”“You,” I say. “Showing up. Staying. Not running when things get ugly.”My thumb brushes over her knuckles before I can stop myself.“It messes with my head.”She doesn’t pull away.Of course she doesn’t.“Or maybe,” she says softly, stepping a little closer, “it just makes you feel something you don’t want to feel.”I let out a quiet breath.“Yeah,” I admit. “That too.”There’s a pause.But it’s not em
Jordan’s POVThe HospitalI hate hospitals.I always have.It’s not just the smell — that sharp, sterile mix of antiseptic and something faintly metallic. It’s the silence. The kind that isn’t really silence. Machines humming. Shoes squeaking against polished floors. Voices kept too low, like everyone’s afraid to say the wrong thing out loud.Like if you speak too loudly, something might break.Or someone might.I grip the steering wheel tighter than I need to as I pull into the parking lot, the engine idling longer than it should.I don’t move.I can’t.Miley sits beside me, quiet. She hasn’t said much since we left her house, and I’m not sure if I’m grateful for that or not. Probably both.Because if she starts talking, I might actually feel this.And I’m barely holding it together as it is.“You don’t have to go in right away,” she says softly.I let out a breath through my nose, staring straight ahead. “If I don’t go now, I won’t go at all.”That’s the truth.I know myself.I open
Miley’s POVThe VisitMorning comes too fast.Or maybe I just never really slept.I’m staring at my ceiling, watching the faint gray light slip through my curtains, when I realize my chest still feels tight — like something is sitting there, heavy and unmoving.Jordan.The way he looked last night. The way his voice cracked. The way his hand felt wrapped around mine like he didn’t want to let go… but didn’t know if he was allowed to.This isn’t harmless anymore.It hasn’t been for a while.A soft knock breaks through my thoughts.“Miles?”Harry.“I’m up,” I call, even though my voice sounds like I’m lying.The door opens, and he leans against the frame, already dressed, keys spinning lazily around his finger. His eyes scan my face, and I already know what he’s about to say.“You look like crap.”I roll my eyes. “Good morning to you too.”He smirks a little, but it fades quickly. “You okay?”I hesitate.That’s all it takes.His expression shifts — sharper now. Paying attention.“…Jorda
Miley’s POV The Call By the time Miley got home with Harry, the night sky had turned deep indigo. Their mum was waiting by the porch light, hands dusted with flour, the faint smell of banana bread spilling into the air. For a brief, golden moment, everything felt normal again — like the kind of evening you’d want to bottle up forever. Harry and her mum fell into easy laughter as they unpacked his things, teasing each other about who snored louder. Miley sat at the kitchen counter, smiling into her mug of cocoa. It was the first time in months that the house felt full again — warm, loud, alive. Later, when Harry went upstairs to unpack and her mum disappeared into her room with a stack of laundry, Miley lingered in the quiet kitchen. The hum of the refrigerator filled the silence, and for once, she didn’t feel the need to rush off to the studio or drown herself in music. She was rinsing her cup when her phone buzzed on the counter. Jordan. Her heart did that small, famili
Miley’s POV Dinner with Harry Miley didn’t realize how much she’d missed her brother until she saw him standing by the arrivals gate — tall, slightly scruffy, backpack slung over one shoulder and that same easy smile she remembered from when things at home used to feel normal. “Harry!” He turned just in time to catch her as she ran into him. He smelled like peppermint gum and airplane air. “Whoa, slow down, kiddo.” He laughed, hugging her tightly. “You grew taller.” “Barely,” she said into his chest. “You just forgot what I look like.” He pulled back, grinning. “Hey, I Facetime! But seeing you in person? Definitely better.” Miley smiled up at him. “Mum’s waiting at home, but she said we could grab something to eat first.” “Good,” he said, ruffling her hair as they walked toward the parking lot. “Because airplane food is a lie. A scam. Pure suffering.” She laughed — the kind of laugh she hadn’t realized she needed. ⸻ They ended up at a cozy diner near the coast — one of t
Jordan’s POVThe house was quieter than usual. Too quiet. Even with Liv in the living room humming to a random pop song, and Scott somewhere outside fixing his bike, the air still felt tense — like something was waiting to break.Jordan hadn’t been sleeping well. Not since that day. Not since his father had shown up again with that same nervous smile and an apology that barely held itself together. He hadn’t even told Miley what was really going on. She thought his distance was because of school stress or the upcoming regional showcase. It wasn’t. It was the past clawing its way back.He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his phone. His father’s last message sat unread. “Please, Jordan. Just come talk to me.”He wanted to throw the phone across the room. Instead, he pressed his palms over his face and exhaled.He didn’t get to do this — not after years of silence. Not after he left him and Liv to deal with the chaos on their own.A knock came at his door.“Jordan?” Liv’s voice was
Miley’s POV — After the StormWhen Jordan texted that he’d seen his dad, my stomach twisted so hard it almost hurt.He hadn’t talked about that man much—just enough for me to know the name alone left scars.So when I saw the message “Like I can finally breathe again,” I didn’t hesitate.I told him
Miley’s POV The days after the beach felt quieter — like the world had turned down its volume. Even school felt… lighter somehow. Not perfect, not fixed, just bearable. Jordan started walking me to class again. No teasing, no smug grin, just his hand brushing mine occasionally like a silent che
Jordan’s POV — The Knock at the DoorThe storm had rolled in without warning.Thunder cracked in the distance, the kind that made the whole house hum — or maybe that was just the way my chest felt when I opened the door and saw the ghost standing on the porch.My father.He wasn’t supposed to exist
Miley’s POV Mom didn’t sleep much after the letter came. I could hear her moving around the kitchen before sunrise, the soft clinking of dishes and the whirr of the old coffee machine echoing through the quiet house. The whole place felt different—stiff, uncertain, as if even the walls were holdi







