Chapter 12: Skye

The next day at the cafe felt like every other. Except for the undercurrent of anxiety pulsating through me with every beat of my heart. A part of me was curious about Jayleen's revelation about Kain, my father. It was terrifying to think about my own parent as the monster Jayleen painted him to be, and yet, I was oddly relieved to finally know something about my past.

During the mid-afternoon lull, Heather came to sit with me. "You okay, Skye?" she asked, her eyes filled with genuine concern. She always had a way of knowing when something was bothering me.

"It's a lot, isn't it?" she continued, not waiting for me to answer. She was right. It was a lot. My whole life seemed to be unraveling around me and I didn't know how to make it stop.

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. I had so many questions, so many thoughts running through my mind, I didn't know where to begin. "Jayleen...he told me about Kain," I started, my voice barely above a whisper. Heather's eyes widened, but