Back in her apartment, Cadence oscillated between rage and uncontrollable crying. Christian had tried to contact her several times on the IAC, but she ignored him. He was the last person she wanted to talk to. Well, second to last.

As the time that she was supposed to go on her date with Aaron came and went, the tears became even more overwhelming, and she wished she had gone home. At least if she were at her parent’s house the traditional Christmas Eve routine would do something to ...