CHAPTER 6

"How much longer do you think you can avoid him, Skylar?" Megan's eyes narrowed as she leaned in closer, her voice no more than a whisper. They sat in Skylar's room, wrapped in the quiet of evening, where even the slightest sounds seemed magnified.

Skylar swallowed, looking toward the door as if she might just expect someone to walk in any second. "I don't know, Megan. I've tried to keep my distance, but Julian-he's everywhere. It's like he's haunting me, but I don't have a choice."

Megan leaned back, eyeing her friend critically. "This isn't like you, Sky. You're not one to run from things, let alone people. What is really going on?

Skylar's gaze dropped to her hands, which she had twisted into a knot on her lap. The weight of Julian's presence lingered inside her thoughts, entwining with the dark shadow that Jasper cast over every action she made. She didn't answer; instead, she let silence stretch between them.