That, for years, I’d desperately tried to break down his walls and burrow my way into his heart.She didn’t know.Few people did.Ezra knew though. He knew and yet, he’d just walked away from me as if there was nothing between us.As if I was nothing.When my dad turned up at home later that day with a brand-new cell phone for me, I thought I’d feel a kernel of excitement.I didn’t.It was a connection, a tether to all that I’d lost. If I logged into my social media accounts, I would be able to relive those memories, but they wouldn’t be mine. Not anymore.It left a deep ache inside my chest as I clutched the shiny new phone in my hand.“We thought it would make you happy,” Dad said, his brows pinched.“It has… I mean, it does. I’m just not sure I’m ready to… You know what, it’s fine.” I’m fine. “Thanks, Dad.” I hobbled over to him using the furniture to steady myself. “I’m going to head upstairs.”“You don’t want to hang out with us?” Mom asked. “I got your favorite ice cream.”“Mayb

And I needed to keep my head down and stay out of trouble.It was the only way we were going to survive repeating senior year.“Can I go now?”Asher studied me, his gaze like a hundred spiders under my skin. He did this sometimes, looked at me as if he was trying to see past my bravado and cool façade.It unnerved the shit out of me.But this time, he stepped aside, letting me off the hook. “Get out of here,” he said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”I mumbled some reply before heading straight to my room, hoping to avoid Sofia and Aaron. Neither of them appeared, and I breathed a little easier as I slipped into my bedroom at the back of the house.It was so different to any of the rooms I’d had in foster care. Big and spacious with two windows that overlooked the yard, and the lake beyond that. It was still decorated in gray and blue tones from when I’d first arrived. Mya had begged me to let her redecorate last year, to change it to something more to my taste. But I hadn’t wanted it.

“It’s good to have you back, Ashleigh.”“Thanks.”But as Lily backed out of my driveway, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a really bad idea.Riverside was crowded. Kaiden and Gav kept close to me and Lily as we navigated the streams of people wandering along the promenade.“What shall we do first?” Lily asked.“I could eat. They have a taco stand.” Kaiden dropped a kiss on her head.He was sweet with her. Always touching some part of her, holding open the car door, and guiding her around the place with a hand to the small of her back.Kaiden was one of the good guys.And I was so happy she’d found him. Lily was a different girl to the girl I remembered. In some ways, our roles had reversed. I had become the shy, uncertain girl afraid of her own shadow. Except it wasn’t my shadow I feared; it was ten months of lost memories and the knowledge that I might never get them back.“Ashleigh?” he asked.“Sounds good.”We managed to find a table and the guys joined the line.“You goo

So I sat quietly and listened.“Yeah. God, I can hardly wait. Five more days.”My chest constricted.They were leaving. Then it would be Lily and Kaiden. And Gav.And I’d be stuck here.“Senior year will be fun though,” Poppy said as if she heard my thoughts. “I know it isn’t what you wanted.” She gave me a sympathetic smile. “But at least you’ll have me and Sofia.”“Yeah.” I wondered if my expression looked as forced as I sounded.Carrie-Anne jumped up and went over to the bar. “I thought we could celebrate.” She pulled out two bottles of champagne. “Since this is the last time we’ll all probably be together.”Lily glanced at me and frowned. “Carrie-Anne, it’s not—”“Lil, it’s okay,” I said. “She’s right. Who knows when this might happen again?”Besides, a glass or two of alcohol might settle the tumultuous storm raging inside me.Carrie-Anne let out a shriek of approval, handing around pink plastic champagne flutes. “I’ve been waiting for a reason to use these. Bryan’s parents bough

I smiled at that.“Something funny?” Penny arrived with my drink.“Nah, just Aaron being a dick.”“Aaron? Is that the guy you came in with the other night?”“Yeah, he’s my… foster brother.”“He seemed nice.”“He’s a pain in my ass.” I snorted.“Aren’t brothers supposed to be?”“You have a brother?”She nodded. “Max. He’s eleven and a total pain in my ass too.” Her eyes lit up with affection. “But I love that kid, something fierce. He’s the reason I kill myself with double shifts here.”My brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”“I… our mom isn’t on the scene. Hasn’t been for a long time. We live with my gran but she’s sick.” Her expression faltered. “And you didn’t come here to hear me offload all this. I’m sorry, I’ll be back with your order soon.”Penny went to walk away, but I blurted out, “Wait.”“Yeah?” Hope shone in her eyes.“Do you have a break coming up?”“It’s pretty dead, I’m sure Manny won’t mind me taking ten.”I flicked my eyes to the empty seat opposite me.“Oh. Oh, okay.”