Chapter Six

Glass and Ghosts

Saxa 

I sucked in a breath through my teeth, sitting at the kitchen island with a mug of hot cocoa cradled between my hands. The warmth grounded me, barely.

“Who was that man outside?” Gran asked, finally breaking the awkward silence between the three of us.

“That, would be my brother.” Ingird mutters without looking up, her eyes glued to her phone. “Sorry—he can be a real asshole sometimes.”

My fingers instinctively reached for the charm bracelet on my wrist.

It wasn’t there.

Shit.

It must have fallen off outside. 

“I think my bracelet fell off in the yard somewhere, I’ll be right back.” I whispered, getting up from my stool and heading toward the door.

The cool air hits me as I step outside, thick with the scent of earth and fog. I glanced towards his house, half-hoping—healf dreading—to see if Ingrid’s brother was still out there.

He was, along with the other men from before.

I turned quickly, forcing myself to focus on anything else. 

Bracelet first, mystery guy later.

After a few seconds, a glint near the edge of the yard caught my eye. Just as I reached down to pick it up, the sound of footsteps crunching against the dead leaves sounded from behind me.

I didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

“Hey,” a voice said—gentler than I expected. “Didn’t mean to scare you earlier, did you need help?”

I stood too quickly, the bracelet clenched tightly in my fist, trying to keep my expression neutral. “No thank you, I found it.”

“Good to hear.” A small smirk played on his lips. “But, if you ever do need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. We are neighbors afterall.”

His tone was kind, but the look in his dark green eyes held something deeper, unsettling.

He lingered. As if debating whether to say something more. Then, finally: “we’re having a little get together later tonight. Nothing major. Feel free to swing by, if you aren’t bust.”

I opened my mouth, unsure of what to say, but he cut me off with a soft grin.

“No pressure, just thought it might be something fun for you.”

He gave a soft nod, then turned back towards his group without another word, leaving me frozen on the lawn, bracelet clutched tightly between my fingers and my heart racing in my chest.

What in the fuck just happened?

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Back inside, I crawl into a spot by the window, curling up in the old green armchair with my mug. Though the heat had far left my cup, my thoughts wouldn’t leave him. The intensity in his voice, the way his eyes held mine. The way it felt like we already knew one another.

“I take it you ran into my brother while you were outside?” Ingrid asked casually from the couch.

I blinked, “ho—how did you know?”

She grinned, “you’ve got this look about you.” she whispered, standing and slipping her phone into her back pocket. “Thank you for letting me hang out. I left my number with your Gran, just in case. And hey—please come to the party. I’d really like to see a friendly face.”

I stared at her, confused. How in the hell did she know he invited me?

But before I could ask, she was already out the door.

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The afternoon drug by in a blur of dusting and organizing all of Gran’s old things from seventeen years ago. Sunlight slanted in long golden beams across the hardwood floor, illuminating floating motes and the faded memories embedded in the house.

“When I was a little girl, Gran said as we worked, “we’d hike up to the clearing just a few miles from here. You could see the rooftops of this whole street from the hilltop. I told myself that one day, I’d live in one of these homes. Life may have gotten in the way for a little while, but now we’re back here and you get to be exactly where I’ve always wanted us..”

She smiles softly, her voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia. “Feels like my life is coming full circle.”

My phone buzzed from the windowsill—’unknown caller’

I hesitated, sliding the arrow across my screen. “Hello?”

“Umb bitch” the voice was slurred and unmistakably drunk.

I rolled my eyes, “what do you want Dean?”

Gran looked up from the box she was unpacking, making a face.

“You’ve only been gone a few days, already forgotten about me?”

“We broke up months ago, what do you want?”

“What is your problem?” he spoke, venom laced in his voice.

“You called me, from a blocked number, drunk at—” I glanced at the clock, “seven in the evening my time, so it’s only one in the afternoon there. That is what my problem is. What. do. You. want.”

“You left me behind…” his voice cracked. “You just… left. You didn’t even say goodbye Saxa.”

Oh, Jesus christ.

“We broke up TWO months before I even left. You couldn;t keep your dick in your pants and slept with your brother's girlfriend, Dean. And you what?” just thought I’d forgive you?”

Silence.

I scoff, “don’t call me again, please.”

The line went dead.

This wasn’t the first, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Every weekend since I broke up with him, he’d call from different numbers or drive to my house, sitting outside my window and yelling. The same slurred voice, same guilt–tripping. And every time, I told him the same thing, to quit bothering me or I would start calling the police. I never did, something in his voice always made me feel bad for him. But this time felt different, something in his voice chilled me.

I stood in silence, staring out the window, until Gran gently touched my arm, “maybe we should look into changing your number this week huh? I think it might be time.”

“Actually,” I whispered, hesitant, “do you think it would be okay if I went next door for a little while? Ingrid said her brother is having a few people over and I thought… I thought it might be good to meet some people since I’ll be starting school here soon.”

Gran gave me a knowing smile, “as long as you’re home at a decent hour, honey.”

“Love you, I won’t be out late.” I said, kissing her cheek.