CHAPTER 12- RHEA'S POV

“Hey… hey, wake up.”

My eyelids felt heavy as I forced them open, blinking against the blur. A dull throb pressed at the back of my head.

“Rhea, sit up.”

The figure above me slowly came into focus.

Lana.

My brows drew together. “What… how—?”

I pushed myself upright, dragging the blanket with me.

“Here. Drink.” She guided a cup of coffee to my lips.

I took it without resistance. The heat burned softly down my throat.

Lana sat beside me. I didn’t miss the worry on her face.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“I’m okay.” My voice cracked immediately.

“Take another sip.”

I did.

“What happened?” I asked.

“You don’t remember?”

I shook my head slowly. “No.”

“Last night…” She hesitated.

“What happened last night?”

Silence stretched for a moment.

Then fragments started returning.

Darnell standing at the entrance of Vanessa’s apartment.

Me turning away.

Leaving.

“You came into my room crying,” Lana said softly. “You wouldn’t say what happened. I just let you sleep here… with me.”

My eyes shifted around the room. Only then did it fully settle in.

I was in her room.

“I don’t remember,” I whispered.

And I didn’t. Everything after leaving that building was gone.

Lana’s hand rested gently on my arm. “Rhea… what really happened?”

“I don’t know.” I swallowed. “Maybe I was just… moody.”

Even as I said it, it sounded hollow.

I didn’t know why I came to Lana last night. But maybe I did.

She had always been my safe place. With her, I could breathe. Be myself without thinking.

So why was it suddenly so hard?

Lana would never judge me.

But I would.

Maybe that was the problem.

“I’ve only seen you like that once before,” Lana said carefully.

My face tightened. “Lana…”

“And it was because of a guy.”

My eyes closed briefly. My jaw clenched.

I hated that memory. Hated what it made me feel about myself.

“That was two years ago,” I said quietly. “And you know I hate when you bring it up.”

A pause.

Then—

“Are you seeing someone?”

I let out a short, humorless laugh and swung my legs off the bed.

“Are you seriously asking me that?”

“Yes.” Her voice was steady now. “And I need you to be honest with me.”

“If I was seeing someone,” I snapped, “you’d be the first to know.”

“I don’t know that anymore,” she shot back.

I froze.

“I don’t know, Rhea,” she continued, voice rising. “You don’t tell me anything anymore.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is.” Her voice broke slightly. “It wasn’t like this before. We weren’t like this.”

I opened my mouth—but nothing came out.

“When you and Liam broke up, you changed,” she said. “I tried to be there for you, but you pushed me away. And you’ve been doing it ever since.”

Silence settled between us.

She was right.

I just didn’t want her to be.

I hated talking about Liam. I had loved him too much—given him everything. My heart. My body. Three years of my life.

And in the end, it still wasn’t enough.

I wasn’t enough.

“I didn’t push you away,” I said quietly, though even I didn’t believe it.

Lana gave a small, disbelieving laugh and wiped at her eyes. “Rhea… you shut me out.”

“I just needed time.”

“It’s been two years.”

“I’m trying,” I said quickly, softer now. “I promise.”

I bit my lip hard, tilting my head up to stop my tears from falling.

Lana exhaled. “And you think I’m not?”

I folded my arms tightly. “You don’t understand.”

“And I never will if you don’t tell me.”

“Don’t you think I want to?”

Lana pushed up from the bed, frustration finally breaking through. “I’m not doing this with you. When you’re ready to talk, come find me.”

“Lana…”

“I need to get ready. Please leave.”

She turned away, already fixing the bed, ignoring me out completely.

My chest tightened.

I wiped my face with my sleeve, turned, and walked out of her room.