Maya was sprawled out on her bed when I walked into the room. She had her headphones on, humming softly to herself as she tapped away on her phone.
She looked up when she noticed me, pulling off her headphones. "Hey! How'd the presentation go?"
"It went fine," I said, dropping my bag by the desk and sitting on the edge of my bed.
"Fine? That's it?" She sat up, her brow raised. "I thought you'd at least have some dramatic story to tell. Like, Sarah fainted, and Aiden had to carry her offstage or something."
I laughed despite myself. "Nothing that exciting. It was… smooth."
"Smooth," she echoed, making a face. "You're no fun."
I kicked off my boots, leaning back on my hands. "Not everything has to be a spectacle, Maya."
"Sure, sure." She flopped back onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. "So, Elias, huh?"
I groaned. "Not this again."
"What? I'm just asking." She sat up again, folding her legs beneath her. "He seems interesting. And you don't hang out with 'interesting' people very often."
"Thanks for the compliment," I said dryly.
"You know what I mean." She waved her hand dismissively. "He's got that whole… mysterious, charming thing going on. Like he walked out of a romance novel or something."
I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. She caught it with a laugh, hugging it to her chest.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," she said, grinning. "For now."
I shook my head, but her teasing felt lighter this time, less intrusive.
The evening dragged on quietly, and my thoughts wandered, brushing against things I'd rather leave untouched. I had done everything I could to avoid revisiting the hospital. The memories of that last encounter with my stepfather were enough to make my chest tighten.
But I couldn't ignore it any longer. It had been days since I'd seen James. He probably thought I'd forgotten him. Guilt gnawed at the edges of my resolve until it pushed me to my feet.
"I'm going out," I said, pulling on my boots.
Maya glanced over, one eyebrow arched. "Where?"
"The hospital."
Her expression softened, her teasing nature replaced with quiet understanding. "You okay?"
"I will be."
"Text me if you need anything," she said simply.
I nodded, throwing on my coat before heading out.
The air was crisp as I walked toward the bus stop, the cold biting through the gaps in my scarf. By the time I reached the hospital, my fingers were stiff, and the warmth of the lobby was a welcome relief.
The receptionist at the front desk offered a polite smile as I approached.
"Hi, I'm here to see my brother, James Dawson," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
The receptionist's smile faltered as she checked her screen. "Oh, James Dawson? He was discharged a few days ago."
For a moment, I was sure I'd misheard her. "Discharged?"
"Yes," she said, glancing at me. "He was released on Friday afternoon."
The room seemed to tilt slightly, my mind scrambling to catch up. Friday. That was the day we had the final group meeting to discuss the group project—the day I'd been too busy unraveling to think clearly about anything else.
"Are you sure?" I asked, even though I knew she wouldn't make that kind of mistake.
"Yes, it says here he was discharged into the care of…" She paused, reading the file. "Margaret Dawson?"
My mother. Of course.
"Thanks," I muttered, stepping away from the desk.
My thoughts churned as I pulled out my phone and dialed my mother's number. It rang once, twice, and then went straight to voicemail.
"Hi, this is Margaret Dawson. Leave a message, and I'll get back to you."
I hung up without saying anything. My hands tightened around the phone as frustration bubbled beneath my skin.
Why hadn't she told me?
I paced the lobby for a moment before deciding what to do. I couldn't just leave this hanging, not with James on my mind.
I'd have to go to the house.
The walk to my childhood home felt surreal, the familiar streets coated in a layer of frost that crunched under my boots. I hadn't been here since she kicked me out. Avoiding this place had become second nature, but now there was no way around it.
The house stood as it always had, its white siding streaked with grime and the porch light flickering like it was too tired to stay on.
I hesitated for a moment before stepping up to the door. My hand hovered over the bell, my heartbeat loud in my ears.
Before I could press it, the door opened, and my mother stood there, her face tight with surprise.
"Raven," she said, her voice clipped. "What are you doing here?"
I swallowed, trying to keep my voice steady. "I went to the hospital to see James, and they told me he'd been discharged. Why didn't you tell me?"
Her expression flickered, guilt passing over her features before she smoothed it out. "I didn't think it was necessary. He's fine now. There's no need to worry."
"No need to worry?" I repeated, incredulous. "He's my brother. Of course, I'm going to worry."
"Raven," she sighed, stepping back to let me in. "This isn't the time—"
"It's never the time with you, is it?" I snapped, stepping inside and shutting the door behind me.
The house smelled the same as it always did—faintly of lemon cleaner and something heavier, something that made my stomach turn.
James was sitting on the couch, his small frame tucked into a blanket as he stared at the TV. When he saw me, his face lit up.
"Raven!"
I felt my chest tighten as I crossed the room and crouched beside him. "Hey, buddy. How are you feeling?"
"Better," he said, his voice quiet but earnest. "The doctors said I can go back to school next week."
"That's great," I said, brushing a hand over his hair.
"Are you staying for dinner?" he asked, his wide eyes hopeful.
I hesitated, glancing over my shoulder at my mother, who was watching us with a guarded expression.
"I don't know," I said honestly.
James's face fell, but he nodded like he understood.
"Why don't you go upstairs for a bit?" my mother said suddenly, her tone sharp. "You need to rest."
James frowned but didn't argue, shuffling off the couch and heading toward the stairs. I waited until I heard his door close before turning to my mother.
"What's actually going on?" I demanded.
She crossed her arms, her mouth pressing into a thin line. "What do you mean?"
"You didn't tell me he was discharged. You didn't answer your phone, despite it ringing. You're acting… off."
"I don't have to explain myself to you," she said, her tone icy. "You don't live here anymore, Raven. You've made that very clear."
Her words hit like a slap, but I forced myself to stay calm. "I'm just trying to make sure James is okay."
"Well, he is," she said, her voice rising. "And he doesn't need you coming in here and stirring things up."
I stared at her, my chest tight with anger and something deeper—something like hurt.
"Fine," I said, my voice cold. "But don't expect me to stay away when it comes to him."
Without waiting for her response, I turned and walked out the door, the cold air hitting me like a wave as I stepped onto the porch.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out, half-hoping it was Elias or Maya. But the screen was blank, the notification was just a reminder of a low battery.
I exhaled, the breath visible in the cold as I started walking back toward the bus stop.
The bus stop's dim light flickered overhead as I sat down on the cold metal bench, wrapping my coat tighter around me. The night air stung, but it wasn't the chill that unsettled me—it was the tangle of emotions lodged in my chest.
James was fine. He looked better than the last time I'd seen him in that sterile hospital bed. That should've been enough to calm my nerves, but it wasn't.
I couldn't shake the image of Lily from the last time I'd seen her. The faint bruises on her tiny arms, the way she clung to me like I was her anchor in a storm. She was younger than James, and knowing her, she was probably asleep upstairs when I visited. But I hated leaving without seeing her, without making sure she was okay.
The cold bit through my gloves as I pulled out my phone. The screen lit up dimly—12% battery left. I sighed and tapped it off again, leaning back against the bench.
It was almost 9 PM. The streets were quieter now, cars passing sporadically, their headlights cutting through the shadows. I tried to focus on the fact that James was home, and healing. That was what mattered, wasn't it?
The phone buzzed in my hand, and I jumped slightly. The name on the screen made me hesitate for only a second before I answered.
"Hello?"
"Raven." Elias's voice was smooth, a soft blend of concern and curiosity. "Where are you?"
"At the bus stop," I replied, glancing at the road ahead. "Heading back to campus."
He was silent for a beat, and I could practically hear him piecing things together. "You went to the hospital."
"Yeah."
"To check on James?"
"Yeah," I said again, my voice quieter this time.
"And?"
"He's fine. He was discharged a few days ago."
Elias exhaled, but I couldn't tell if it was relief or something else. "And you didn't mention this to anyone because…?"
"I didn't think it was a big deal," I lied, though the words felt flimsy even to me.
His laugh was soft but laced with disbelief. "Raven, you're sitting at a bus stop alone, at night, after visiting a hospital where your brother used to be. You think I'm buying that it's not a big deal?"
I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off before I could get a word in.
"Where's the bus stop?"
"What?"
"Where are you?" he asked again, his tone firm but not unkind.
"I told you, at the bus stop," I said, frowning.
"Your location, Raven," Elias clarified, his voice dropping into something softer, almost coaxing. "Share it with me. I'll pick you up."
"Elias, I'm fine. The bus will be here soon."
"I don't doubt you're fine," he said, his tone shifting into something teasing but warm. "But humor me, will you? It's late, and I'd rather not spend my night wondering if you made it back to your dorm safely."
I hesitated, chewing on the inside of my cheek. "You don't have to—"
"I want to," he interrupted, his voice steady now. "That's the part you're supposed to focus on."
Something about the way he said it made my resistance falter. I sighed. "Fine. But if I miss the bus, it's your fault."
"Good. Text me the address and stay put," he said, the smile in his voice unmistakable. "I'll be there soon."
The minutes dragged on as I waited, the cold seeping through my coat and settling into my bones. I hugged myself, watching the occasional car speed by, their headlights blurring as my mind drifted back to the night's events.