RONAN

The next day seemed to start early. The sunlight crept through the blinds. I got out of bed and went out to take a bath. For some reason, Maxine's move yesterday plagued my mind.

I hadn't expected her friend to show up, and I hadn’t expected to see Maxine’s face light up the way it had when she’d seen her. That kind of happiness was genuine. And it felt foreign to me. But as quickly as it appeared, it had vanished the moment we left.

I told myself I didn't care. I shouldn't ...