5

“Yeah, they were so happy about it.”

This was hard. I wanted to see Ezra, to make him tell me everything. But he didn’t handle change well. And everything was different now.

Not to mention the fact he’d walked away from the accident unscathed, and I hadn’t.

“I’m so pleased for them all. Ezra needs family,” I said. “He needs to know he belongs.”

But Lily wasn’t smiling. In fact, she looked downright miserable.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” I asked.

“There’s something else, something about Ezra…”

Oh God.

My heart ratcheted in my chest.

Had he finally met someone? A girl he wanted to open his heart to?

I’d always held out hope that one day I would burrow through his walls and find a way inside. But that dream would wither and die if he’d found someone else.

“Did he… did he meet someone?” My stomach twisted, anticipating the pain that would follow if she confirmed my worst fear.

“What? No. No, it’s nothing like that.”

“It isn’t?” Sweet relief slammed into me.

There wasn’t someone else.

Which meant there was still hope.

Until Lily said, “Ezra failed senior year, Leigh. He didn’t graduate.”

 

   

“I want to see Ezra,” I said the next morning when Mom and Dad arrived. It seemed that they had cherry picked what information to tell me during our many chats.

They shared an awkward look, and Dad cleared his throat. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, sweetheart. Being around him… it might trigger you.”

“Trigger me?” I gawked, disbelief coating my words. “You can’t be serious, Dad. If anything, it might help. Ezra was there, he knows what happened. Maybe if I talk to him, it will unlock something.”

Really, I just wanted to talk to him about school—about the fact he flunked out.

I could remember him being indifferent at the beginning of senior year. But everyone expected him to pull his head out of the sand and at least graduate.

“You know how Ezra is, sweetheart.” Mom intervened. “And Asher is riding him hard about failing school. He’s not in a good place. I think it would be better to wait.”

“Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“What? No, no, baby. We just don’t want you to have any extra stress than you already have. The doctor said—”

“Yeah, Mom.” I knew what the doctor said. I’d been right there when he’d tried to talk to me about how to avoid pushing myself too much too soon.

But I needed to see Ezra. I needed to look him in the eye and know we were okay. That he was okay.

“Did you guys pick me up a new cell phone yet?” I changed the subject.

They shared a look of guilt and Dad said, “Once you’re home and settled, we’ll sort it out.”

My old one had been a casualty of the accident.

“Dad!”

“No, Ashleigh. The doctor said you need to give yourself time. You’re still healing. Screen time isn’t—”

“Screen time?” I scoffed. “It’s a cell phone and I’m sev—eighteen.” That would take some getting used to. “I think I can manage my screen time appropriately.”

He leaned in and kissed my head. “A few more days won’t hurt.”

“Fine.” An indignant huff left my lips. It wasn’t like I could go buy one from the hospital gift store.

“There is something we need to talk about though.” They both sat down, and Mom took my hand in hers.

Oh God, what now?

Nervous energy vibrated through me, making me feel a little nauseous.

“We spoke to Mya and Principal Kiln.” Mya was the guidance counsellor at Rixon High. “They’ve been talking to UPenn, and they all agree that given the circumstances you should defer.”

“Defer.” The word echoed through me like a gunshot. Deep down, I knew college wouldn’t be an option this year, not with my entire senior year’s classes missing. But knowing it and hearing it were two very different things.

I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach. Breathless. Hollow and raw.

“Mya thinks, and the doctor agreed, that it would be a good idea for you to repeat your senior year. Be in familiar surroundings with your friends.”

Right. Because Poppy and Sofia would be seniors. Aaron too.

And so would Ezra.

Ezra

“Whoa, hold up,” Asher said, looking up from his position at the breakfast counter. “You’re going out?” His brow rose.

“Yeah, I mean… I am allowed to leave the house, right?”

“E, come on, Son. You’re not a prisoner. But I am your father. I just want to know you’re okay.”

Father.

Fuck. That would take some getting used to.

“I’m fine,” I muttered. “Can I go now?”

I didn’t wait for his answer, slipping out of the kitchen.

“You can’t shut me out forever, Ezra,” he called after me. “I’m a patient man. I’ll be here waiting when you’re ready.”

A muted groan slipped from my lips as I yanked up my hood and left the house.

It sucked that I didn’t have a car anymore, but it had been totaled in the accident, so my options were walking on foot or taking Aaron’s bicycle.

The familiar rumble of his car stopped me in my tracks. Fuck. I was hoping to sneak away before he got home.

Shoving my hands in my pockets, I kept my head down.

“E, wait up.” His car door slammed, and Aaron jogged over to me. “You’re going out?”

“Just going for a walk.”

“A walk, right. Well, I’m free. So I’ll tag along.”

“Did your dad put you up to this?” I narrowed my eyes.

“E, he’s our dad.” Aaron gave me a pleading glance.