Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The cheers still echoed in Sean’s ears, as if the auditorium hadn’t let go of their voices yet. Laughter had filled the lobby, warm and bright under the chandelier lights. Parents hugged their kids, friends took blurry, overexposed photos with shaky hands. And in the center of it all stood the Music Club, beaming like champions.

Because they were.

They had won the competition, out of all odds. After everything that went wrong the past few days.. The voice message, Jake, the chaos.. The Club overcame it.

Sean smiled, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jacket as Jake retold one of Milly’s guitar string mishaps to Milo and Bethany. Milly was already two feet away, striking a mock rockstar pose while Zander groaned behind her and Hailey rolled her eyes, secretly amused.

Normal chaos. The kind Sean loved. The kind that made everything feel okay.

No one asked where his parents were. Maybe they already knew the answer. Or maybe they were too happy to notice he stood alone.

Sean didn’t mind. He knew his parents wouldn’t show, but he was used to it by now. His mother was more than likely drunk on the couch right now while his father was stuck in the office, purposely staying away from home.

If today were a few years ago, maybe his older brother would have come. But he hadn’t talked to Ethan in years. Sean made peace with his family's negligence. His friends made it easier to ignore their absence.

Sean walked slowly along the edge of the room, watching everyone with a small smile. At the moment, Jake was now speaking to his mom and brother with dramatic hand gestures. Daisy tugged Hailey aside to gush over a recording on her phone. Luke tried to fix Milly’s smudged eyeliner while she argued that smudged eyeliner was punk.

All of it made Sean feel radiant.

"Hey Sean,” Zander spoke, walking up to him with a small smile. “Hailey and I are probably going to head out soon. Michael was wondering whether or not you’ll need a ride home?”

Sean chuckled as he shook his head. “Nah, my house isn’t that far, I’ll be okay.”

Zander raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. He looked like he was going to protest but Luke called for him so they could take a picture together. A small blush crept on Zander’s face before he turned back to Sean. “Alright then. Oh and my mom wants a group picture before we leave so make sure to stick around a little longer.”

Sean nodded and Zander walked away. Hailey and Zander’s parents were always looking out for him. He would’ve taken their offer of getting a ride home, considering his house was in fact 15 minutes away from here, but he enjoyed night walks.

Sean continued to watch from a distance as his friends were scattered around, doing their own thing, waiting for someone to call them for the group picture. He was about to pull out his phone to check Instagram when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Why.. look at you all alone. Here I thought you would have been celebrating with your new friends, you pretty doll."

Sean froze at the words.

He didn’t look right away. He couldn’t. His brain tried to tell him it wasn’t real, that maybe it was someone else, that maybe he misheard—

But then he felt it.

A hand on his back. Not a friendly slap, not a casual touch. It was controlling, like a leash, and it made his skin crawl.

Sean turned slowly, and there he was.

Travis.

A little older. Taller, maybe. His hair was slicked back, his eyes just the same.. too blue, too calm and too knowing. He wore a leather jacket that didn’t fit the occasion, like he wanted to stand out and melt into the crowd all at once.

Sean’s mouth went dry.

"Miss me?" Travis said, voice low and smooth. His grip tightened slightly, then relaxed. “Didn’t expect to see me so soon, huh?”

Sean couldn’t speak or move.

His lack of response made Travis chuckle. "You look good. Grown up." He leaned in, “Better than I remember.”

Sean felt like his heart would explode any moment.

He looked around, heart hammering. No one noticed. No one saw.

Everyone was still celebrating. Still smiling.

He swallowed. “W-What are you doing here?” His voice cracked halfway through.

Travis smiled wider, teeth white and perfect. “Just wanted to see the little superstar in action.” He leaned against the wall beside Sean, close enough that their arms brushed. “Hadn’t expected you to still be into that little music hobby of yours. Along with the fact your two little guard dogs aren’t with you.”

Sean clenched his fists.

"You shouldn’t be here,” he said quietly.

“Why not?” Travis’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I did my time. Clean slate. And this is a public building, isn’t it?”

Sean’s stomach twisted.

"Please,” he whispered, not sure what he was asking for.

“Relax,” Travis said, like they were old friends. “Just catching up.”

A laugh erupted somewhere across the lobby. Jake again, probably. Sean wanted to run to him. He wanted to scream.

Travis leaned closer as if he was going to hug him, lips near his ear,. “I wonder how those little friends of yours would react to seeing you so weak. They don’t know how pathetic you actually are, do they?”

Sean was screaming inside. He flinched violently at the touch but didn’t dare to move away. He couldn’t stop the trembling in his fingers.

He wanted someone to save him. But at the same time he didn’t want anyone in the club to see him like this. He was terrified.

“Hey,” a voice said. Sean didn’t recognize the voice. It wasn’t anyone in the club. “There you are. Everyone’s looking for you.” A new touch was on his shoulders now and was stepping in between Travis and him. Sean faltered, eyes widening with confusion. Drew?

Chapter Text

Drew didn’t know why he came.

Actually, that was a lie.

He came to see what he threw away.

He stood near the back of the lobby, leaning against a marble pillar with his hands in his hoodie pockets, his jaw set and tight. No one had noticed him. That was the idea.

The Music Club was basking in their win like the sun had risen just for them. Cheers echoed against the glossy floor. Jake was the center of it all, like always, smiling with that same old confidence that used to be infectious.

Drew used to be beside him.

Now? Drew threw away their friendship today. Yeah, he was pretty pissed off at Jake for ditching him. Not only that but lied to him repeatedly. He kept Zoey cheating on him a secret. Drew was supposed to be his best friend. So yeah, he was still pissed the hell off at Jake.

But after drowning in his own pain, Drew couldn’t help but think he was the problem. It was an impulsive and last minute decision to show up to the competition. Didn’t even text Liam or Henry about it. He showed up and stood in the back of the auditorium. And damn. Jake was absolutely amazing up there. He looked so free and happy.. Something Drew never really saw when Jake was with him.

Drew let out a dry breath, rubbing the back of his neck.

He should’ve walked out five minutes ago. He should’ve left the second he saw Jake’s face.

But something kept him still.

Maybe it was that pathetic part of him that wanted Jake to see him. See that he arrived. See that he showed up to watch his stupid performance and give Drew an excuse to tell him he really was fantastic up there.

But he didn’t. And Drew couldn’t blame him.

His eyes wandered to the edge of the crowd and saw one of the club members standing alone. Sean. Drew had a class with him a year ago, P.E. Sean was a junior, Drew was a sophomore at the time. They didn’t interact at all, but Drew knew of him and how he was like. Mainly how he was older, chill, kind of quiet. The only member of the club he never bothered to mess with. Not because he was scary or anything.. Just because Drew never really had a reason too. He wasn’t a weirdo like Hailey and Zander. Didn’t fight his girlfri— ex-girlfriend like Milly. Drew considered Sean and Luke the only chill ones of the group.

Drew didn’t know why he was staring at the boy for so long. He watched as Sean gazed at his friends with a small smile.

Then something changed.

A man walked up behind Sean. Mid-twenties, maybe older. Leather jacket. Too close.

Sean didn’t react at first.

Then Drew saw it.

The shift in Sean’s shoulders. The way his smile froze, his eyes going slightly glassy. He didn’t step away. He didn’t speak.

The man leaned in. Whispered something.

And Sean didn’t move.

Drew’s stomach tightened. Something about the way Sean stood there hit wrong. He was too still.. But Drew’s eyes could see the tremble in his hands.

Drew’s eyes narrowed at the sight. He glanced at the other club members. They didn’t notice. No one saw what Drew saw.

He could just look away. Pretend he wasn’t seeing anything. It wasn’t Drew’s problem. Maybe if it were Jake then he would step in. But he wasn’t going to do that for some dude he barely knew. That’s what Drew should have been thinking. But in reality? He wasn’t thinking at all.

His legs were already moving. Through the crowd, past the parents, through the sound. The closer he got, the more he saw.

The man’s hand on Sean’s back. A smile that didn’t quite match his eyes.

“Hey,” Drew said, loud enough to be heard but still casual. “There you are. Everyone’s looking for you.” Drew stepped between them, putting his hands on Sean’s shoulder, trying to not freak out.

Sean blinked, startled, his expression cracking just slightly.

Drew didn’t look at the man. Didn’t have to.

He saw the way Sean latched onto the lifeline in his voice like it was oxygen.

Sean nodded quickly, eyes flicking toward the man beside him. “Yeah. Right. Sorry, Just.. catching up with someone.”

Drew smiled. It was fake, but convincing enough. He placed a hand on Sean’s shoulder, subtly guiding him away from the man. “Well sorry man, but you promised we could take a picture! I’ve gotta go soon, hurry up!”

Sean didn’t argue.

Drew didn’t look back.

But he could feel the man’s eyes burning into the back of his skull.

Drew didn’t stop walking until the sound of the celebration had dimmed into a dull thump behind them.

Sean hadn’t said a word.

Not one.

His footsteps were shaky, barely keeping up. Like his legs didn’t know whether to run or collapse. Drew picked a side hallway off the main lobby. It had been empty, quiet, with lockers along one wall and cheap vending machines humming softly across from them.

Drew was just going to leave Sean here. Tell him that he could practically feel the uncomfortable auror vibrating off of the dj and figured he would help him out. After that, he would just leave. No questions because he didn’t care enough to ask.

Drew turned to face Sean, arms folding. “What the hell was that?” Dammit. So much for not asking questions.

Sean didn’t look at him. He leaned back against the wall, head tipped slightly up like he was trying to pretend he wasn’t trembling.

“It was nothing,” Sean muttered.

Drew raised a brow. “Nothing? C’mon. You looked fucking terrified being near that guy.” Dammit Drew! What was he doing? He should just stop asking damn questions and move on.

Sean’s hands clenched at his sides. “I said it was nothing.”

It was a reflex. Defensive. A wall going up. Drew recognized it immediately.

It was the same wall he used to throw up whenever Jake or the other two idiots got too close to the parts of him he didn’t want to explain.

“Fine,” Drew said. “Nothing. Cool.”

Silence.

Sean finally glanced his way, uncertain. Maybe expecting Drew to just walk off.

Drew was expecting to walk off too.

But he didn’t.

Drew stepped closer to the vending machine and leaned against it, arms folded loosely. “So… you really weren’t going to call for help or something?”

Sean let out a humorless breath. “Help wouldn’t have done anything.”

“That guy didn’t look like your uncle or something.”

That earned the smallest flicker of something behind Sean’s eyes. Annoyance, maybe. Or exhaustion. Drew couldn’t tell.

“You don’t know anything about it.”

“You’re right,” Drew said bluntly. “I don’t. But I know what scared looks like. And you? You looked terrified.”

Sean flinched. Just barely. Then he shoved off the wall and turned like he might walk away. “Thanks for helping. You can go now.”

Drew didn’t move. He should go now. But for some reason, Drew really didn’t want to. He didn’t want to leave Sean alone, and Drew didn’t know why.

“Dude,” he said, quieter this time. “I’m not trying to mess with you. I just… I saw something was wrong. So I stepped in. That’s it.”

For a second, neither of them said anything. Damn, Drew should have walked away. He was overstepping boundaries with some music freak. Wait, when did Drew care about that?

“Why?” Sean asked, his eyes observing Drew carefully.

Drew blinked. “Why what?”

“Why did you step in?” Sean turned back toward him. “You don’t know me. You’ve never even talked to me before. Why the hell would you care?”

Hell if he knew. Because Drew didn’t know why the hell he was doing this. His thoughts were going insane inside his head.

He barely knew Sean. Had never given him the time of day. He bullied Sean’s friends. He thought the club was a bunch of freaks.

But seeing someone like him.. the one guy who always looked unshakably calm.. look like he was about to break apart?

It did something to Drew.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Maybe I’m just not as big of a shitty person as you think I am.” Or that Drew thought he was. “Not only that but it seemed as if I was the only one who noticed. I’d be pretty fucked if I just let— whatever the hell was happening continue.”

Sean stared at him, his jaw tight. He crossed his arms. “Well, I’m used to no one noticing.”

“Yeah,” Drew said before Sean could continue. “I can tell.”

A pause.

Sean’s expression shifted, just a little. Less guarded. Still cautious, but no longer defensive.

He let out a slow breath and sat down on the edge of the floor by the lockers, resting his forearms on his knees. “That guy,” he said finally, not looking up, “used to be close to someone in my family.”

“Family like… parent or sibling?”

Sean didn’t answer.

He didn’t have to.

The haunted edge in his voice told Drew more than enough.

“He’s not supposed to be around me,” Sean added. “But he knows I won’t say anything.”

“Why not?”

Another pause. A beat too long.

“Because that would just make it worse.” Sean said quietly.

Drew sat down beside him. Careful not to get too close. “You don’t have to tell me the details.”

“I’m not going to. I don’t even know why I’m even telling you any of this.”

Drew shrugged. “It’s easier to tell a stranger instead of someone who would look at you differently.”

Sean huffed. Not quite a laugh, not quite annoyed. “Why are you even here? At the competition, I mean. You and Jake aren’t friends anymore.”

Yikes. Straight to the point. “Dunno. Just.. felt like it.” Drew didn’t explain anymore.

Sean finally looked at him again. He studied Drew’s face like he was trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces. Whatever he found, it made him look… tired.

“You’re weird.”

“I disagree.”

Another silence stretched between them. But this one felt less sharp.

After a moment, Sean leaned his head back against the lockers and closed his eyes. “Thanks,” he said quietly. “For.. saving me. I guess.”

“No problem.” Drew tilted his head. “You gonna be okay?”

Sean didn’t answer right away. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling tiles.

“I don’t know.”

Drew nodded slowly. “You want me to go get someone from the club?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

They sat like that for a while. Not talking. Not moving. Just letting the tension bleed out through the quiet. Drew didn’t try to fill the silence. He just stayed, still not knowing why. This day was so fucking confusing.

Chapter Text

The night air was cool against his skin, quiet except for the rustle of leaves and the faint hum of traffic in the distance.

Each step toward home made Sean’s chest heavier.

The closer he got, the tighter his shoulders pulled.

His house wasn’t exactly the greatest. It was a run-down bungalow at the edge of the neighborhood where the streetlights flickered like they were giving up. The lawn was overgrown. A stack of soggy newspapers sat by the porch, untouched.

Sean climbed the steps slowly. Key in the door. Deep breath.

The smell hit him first.

Beer. Smoke. Something burnt in the kitchen that probably happened days ago.

He stepped inside and shut the door behind him as quietly as possible, locking it with muscle memory. The TV was on in the living room. Some reality show rerun blaring way too loud.

His mom was passed out on the recliner, mouth open, a half-empty bottle resting on her chest. Her eyeliner was smudged, mascara streaking like war paint.

Sean didn’t bother saying anything.

He stepped over the mess of beer bottles and fast food wrappers, heading straight to his room.

His door didn’t close right. He had to lift it slightly to get it to catch the latch. The hinges creaked.

His room was small. Neat, but only because he kept it that way. It was the only space in the whole house that felt even a little safe.

He shut the door. Locked it. Pressed his back to it and let himself exhale fully for the first time in hours.

He sank to the floor. Buried his face in his hands.

Travis was back.

Out of prison.

And he found him. Just like that.

Sean’s chest tightened again. A cold, sharp pressure curling up behind his ribs.

He tried to steady his breathing. In, out. Just like he always did.

It wasn’t working.

He thought about the words Travis had said to him. How quick Sean was to freeze in his hold. All his nightmares were becoming true.

He curled in on himself, hands gripping at his own sleeves. The fabric of his hoodie felt too tight. His skin too thin. He couldn’t scrub it off.

He had to tell someone.

No. No, he couldn’t.

It wasn’t like anyone even knew of Travis. The two people who did were gone. One who he hasn’t seen since Travis was put in prison, the other who he sees in the school hallways as a completely different person.

And why would he bother the club with this sort of thing anyway? He’s the one supposed to be looking out for them, not the other way around. Not only that but they had just finished dealing with craziness this entire week brought them. The voice recording, the shouting. Even going as far as Jake completely embarrassing himself on the announcements just to be able to apologize to them. So no. Sean wasn’t going to bother them with this.

His thoughts wandered off to the boy who does know about Travis though. Well, not everything, but enough to know Sean was weak against him. Sean couldn’t understand why Drew had stepped in. He didn’t even know Drew was there.

After the public argument between Jake and Drew, Sean would have thought for sure their friendship was over and done with. Especially on Drew’s end. He doesn’t even think Jake realized Drew was there either.

Not only that, but Drew didn’t seem like the type of person to step in to help another. At least from what Sean has seen. Sean never interacted with Drew. Sure, they had a class together last year. But Drew had always kept to himself. Sean had also heard a few stories of Drew from his friends. They were never good. But for some reason, Drew had helped him out anyway.

Sean sucked in another breath, forcing himself to stand. He moved to his bed and sat on the edge. His phone lit up.

A single text from an unknown number.

“You still smell the same. Sweet.”

Sean stared at the screen.

Then he deleted the message, turned his phone off, and placed it face-down on the nightstand.

He laid back, eyes open, heart pounding in the dark.

He could get through this.

—---

The hallway was loud, as always but it annoyed Sean more today.

Backpacks zipped open, lockers banged closed, footsteps echoed from all directions, and someone somewhere was shouting about a science test.

Sean moved through it all like a ghost. He smiled when people looked at him. Nodded when someone said “great job at the comp.” Laughed at something he didn’t really hear.

But his eyes stayed flicking. His shoulder twitched every time someone brushed past him. His chest ached in that slow, dragging way that never seemed to stop.

Just get to lunch.

Just get to rehearsal.

Just pretend.

He slipped into the music room early, heart thudding. It was quieter in here—warmer. The scent of wood polish and dust-covered sheet music filled the air, familiar and grounding.

The others hadn’t arrived yet.

He sank into the corner seat where he always sat during warmups and leaned back, letting his head hit the wall behind him. His eyes slipped shut. Just for a second.

He hadn’t slept. Not really. Just stared at the ceiling all night, waiting for another message. Maybe a knock at the door. A nightmare.

The door opened, bringing Sean out of his thoughts. He couldn’t help but flinch, jerking upright.

“Oh—crap, sorry, Sean,” Milly said, skidding into the room. “Didn’t know you were already here.”

He forced a grin. “Nah, you’re good. Just zoning out.”

She raised an eyebrow, looking him over. “You okay? You look kinda… dead.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Milly smirked and plopped her guitar case down beside him, but her eyes lingered. Before she could say anything else, Jake and Hailey walked in, mid-conversation, and the noise returned.

“—I’m just saying, we should try the harmonies a different way this time,” Hailey said.

Jake rolled his eyes. “And I’m saying it sounded perfect before. Zander, back me up.”

Zander strolled in next, holding Luke’s hand. “It was fine. Not perfect.”

Jake groaned dramatically. “You people don’t appreciate raw talent.”

“You mean your inflated ego?” Hailey shot back.

Sean stayed quiet.

He sat straighter when Hailey’s gaze landed on him. “You alright, Sean?”

“Yeah.” He forced his shoulders to relax. “Just tired.”

Hailey watched him a beat longer, but then clapped her hands. “Alright then, let’s warm up.”

Everyone moved to their places. Instruments out. Voices humming. Energy rising.

Sean stood, moved to his mixer, and plugged in his laptop. His fingers trembled slightly as he loaded the track. He hated that. The trembling. The way it made him feel weak.

He could do this. He’d done this a hundred times.

“Ready?” Hailey asked.

“Yep,” Sean said quickly. “All set.”

The first note played. Jake started singing, Milly on backup. Hailey followed on the harmony.

It should’ve been smooth.

But Sean missed a cue.

Only by a second—barely noticeable to someone unfamiliar with the track. But Zander’s head snapped toward him immediately. Milly faltered in her strumming.

Sean’s hands fumbled over the levels.

“Sean?” Hailey asked, lowering her mic. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he said, a little too quickly. “Just zoned out. Sorry. I just… didn’t sleep great.” He let out an awkward chuckle, trying to ease down the rising tension. He didn’t like the concern on their faces.

“You’re jumpy today,” Milly commented bluntly. “You like.. flinched hard when I opened the door. I saw it.”

Panic rose within him. “I did not.”

“Liar,” Milly replied, setting her guitar down and crossing her arms. “Plus it’s not like you to not get enough sleep. You’re usually like… locked in.. y’know?”

The rest of the club looked even more concerned by this for some reason. Jake stared at him with worried eyes. Zander and Luke glanced at each other. Hailey observed him carefully.

He wasn’t expecting the club to notice something was up this quickly. Sean looked away, not liking the way they were all staring at him. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure—” Jake started, taking a step toward him.

“I said I’m fine.”

It came out harsher than he intended. Milly flinched. Jake froze mid-step. Even Zander looked caught off guard.

Sean felt the weight of their eyes all at once. The worry. The confusion. The questions.

He didn’t want them.

He didn’t deserve them.

He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. “Sorry. I’m just… tired. I stayed up late.. Doing homework. Didn’t have a chance this weekend. Didn’t mean to snap, I’m sorry.”

Hailey nodded slowly, her gaze softening. “It’s okay. We all have off days.”

Jake offered a small smile. “Yeah, dude. Sorry for pushing and stuff.. Just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

The tension eased a little. But not all the way.

He could see how Hailey still watched him with that gentle, overprotective concern that made Sean’s stomach twist. Luke shot him a look he couldn’t decipher. Zander watched him carefully.

Rehearsal carried on. They finished the warm-ups. They ran through the second verse again. Sean didn’t mess up this time. Not noticeably.

But the air didn’t feel the same.

He could feel them watching.

Feel the questions bubbling.

With hope, their concern would wash away by tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Drew didn’t know why he came to school today.

Well, technically, he knew. Attendance. GPA. Keeping his parents off his back. Dodging another lecture from the school counselor who still called him “sweetie” like he was some lost first grader instead of a seventeen year old who’d stopped believing adults had the answers a long time ago. Obviously, he knew why he was there. Same old reasons anyone else at that school was there.

But mentally?

He felt like a cardboard cutout, drifting through the corridors on autopilot. Just another body between lockers and classrooms, doing the motions but not really there.

No Jake.

No Zoey.

No Liam or Henry either, he’d been avoiding them as well.

No one left from the crowd that used to laugh too loud and shove each other’s backpacks in the cafeteria. The crowd that once made him feel untouchable.

Now, he walked the halls like a leftover ghost. People didn’t even look at him unless they were whispering about what happened with him and Zoey, or the argument with Jake. Drew caught the glances. Heard the half choked snickers when they thought he wasn’t listening.

Let them talk.

He didn’t care anymore.

...Except, he did.

Lord, he did.

And that was the part that pissed him off the most. How much it still gnawed at him. Not even Zoey. Not the rumors. It was Jake. Jake, who just let it happen. Let him believe everything was fine. Let him grin and joke and make a fool of himself in front of everyone while the truth sat there like a loaded secret in everyone else’s back pocket.

The same Jake who bailed on him. Who traded their years of friendship for those stupid freaks.

Drew’s fingers curled tighter around the strap of his backpack as he turned a corner, jaw tight.

And still...

He couldn’t stop thinking about Sean.

About the night of the competition.

About that man who grabbed him.

And more than anything, about the way Sean had looked in that moment.. Frozen and tense. He remembered the look in Sean’s eyes. Wide and knowing.

That expression had lodged itself in Drew’s brain repeatedly. And no matter how many times he told himself it wasn’t his problem, that he barely even knew the guy—

He couldn’t shake it away.

Drew had barely slept since that night.

Not because he wanted to get involved. Not because he was trying to wedge himself into drama that had nothing to do with him.

He just... couldn’t shake the image.

He couldn’t stop remembering the way Sean’s hands trembled like they were fighting to stay still. The way his whole body locked up, like some cornered animal waiting for something bad to happen.

Worse than all that?

No one else saw it.

No one else noticed.

But Drew did.

And that was the part that wouldn’t let him rest.

So today, against his better judgment, he told himself he’d keep an eye out. Nothing major. No big deal. Just... make sure Sean was okay. From a distance.

Not because he cared or anything.

Of course not.

Wow, Drew. What the hell is going on with you?

Two periods after lunch, he finally spotted Sean, who was stepping out of a class. Drew ducked behind a column of lockers like a coward, pretending to be absorbed in his phone.

From a distance, Sean looked fine. Better than Drew expected, even. He was walking beside Daisy, laughing at something she said, his shoulders relaxed.

Drew let out a small hum, about to forget about it. Clearly whatever happened that night was over and done with.

But for some reason, Drew took a second longer to keep staring at the older boy. And then he saw it.

The glance over his shoulder. The barely there hitch in his smile. The way his fingers tapped restlessly against the strap of his backpack, not casual and not rhythmic. Just a twitch. A quiet stutter of nerves.

Daisy peeled off with a wave and disappeared down the next hallway. Sean turned the corner alone.

Drew pushed off the lockers and followed.

Not in a creepy way. He kept his pace casual, his distance wide, eyes fixed on his phone like he couldn’t care less. But every so often, he glanced up.

He didn’t know what he expected to find. Maybe some kind of proof that everything was fine. Maybe Sean always had those mannerisms, afterall he didn’t really know him.

Sean froze mid step. Drew repeated the action with confusion. He observed Sean carefully before lifting his eyes to see who was in front of him. There was a strange pain in his chest when he laid eyes on him.

Down at the far end of the corridor, half-shadowed near the double doors leading out to the back lot.

That man.

The same one from the competition lobby.

The one who grabbed Sean.

His stance was too casual.. leaning against the vending machine at the end of the hall like he belonged there. Like it was completely normal for a grown man to be loitering in a high school corridor during class change.

Drew’s stomach tightened.

The man’s eyes locked onto Sean the second he appeared.

Drew couldn’t hear anything from this distance because of the many voices, but he saw it all.

The man moved like he’d done it a hundred times. One step forward, smooth and unhurried. He slid into Sean’s path with practiced ease and reached out, his fingers brushing Sean’s arm in a way that made Drew’s skin crawl. It was too deliberate.

Sean flinched hard.

His entire body recoiled like he’d been shocked. Shoulders tensed, drawn up to his ears. He looked smaller all of a sudden, like he was trying to disappear inside himself.

His lips moved. A quiet reply, maybe a plea.

The man grinned amusingly.

Drew’s jaw clenched. His fists curled tight at his sides before he even realized it.

This wasn’t a coincidence. It wasn’t some weird uncle saying hi. This was calculated and predatory, and no one else was paying attention.

A group of students passed between them, laughing too loudly, breaking Drew’s line of sight for a second.

By the time they cleared—

The man was walking away.

Sean stood with his back to the lockers, head bowed, one hand braced against the cold metal like he needed it to stay upright. He was trembling, something in his posture had fractured. Like the strength that got him through the day had suddenly vanished.

Drew swallowed hard, heart pounding for reasons he didn’t want to name.

He told himself he wasn’t going to get involved.

But here he was.

Already moving toward him.

“Hey,” Drew said, softer than usual as he approached. His voice barely cut through the chatter of the hallway. “You okay?”

Sean jerked his head up. His eyes went wide, unfocused for a second, and when they landed on Drew, the color drained from his face all over again.

“Drew?” he breathed, like he wasn’t sure he was seeing him right. His gaze flicked over Drew’s face, down to his hands, back up again.

Drew stopped a few feet away, hands raised slightly in a silent way that told him he wasn’t going to reach out for him. It still looked as if Sean was still processing whatever just happened between him and the man. He didn’t want to crowd him. Didn’t want to make things worse.

“That man,” Drew said, quiet but firm. “He’s bothering you again. How did he even make it inside the building? Are you okay?”

Sean’s gaze dropped to the floor. “It’s nothing.”

Drew blinked. Scoffed. “Seriously?”

“I said it’s nothing.” Sharper, this time. Less shaky. Like the words were a reflex.

“Sean, he had his hand on you.” Drew took a breath, tried to keep his voice steady. “Again. Same as before. And he looks like he should be in college or out of it. He has no right to be in here—”

“Please.” Sean’s voice cracked. He shut his eyes, lifting a hand to rub at his temple like the pressure might wipe this whole conversation away. “Just… drop it.”

And that should’ve been the end of it.

Drew knew how to let things go. Knew how to pretend stuff didn’t matter.

But this did.

Gosh, for some reason it did.

So instead of walking away, he took a slow step closer and lowered his voice to something almost gentle. “Look… I’m not trying to get in your business. I’m not. But I was there that night. After the competition. I saw the way you looked when he grabbed you.”

Sean’s shoulders went tight, every muscle drawing inward.

“You looked terrified,” Drew said.

Sean exhaled quietly, “You don’t know what you saw.”

“Then help me understand. You’ve already shared bits and pieces but it’s not enough.”

A heavy silence fell between them. Sean’s hands curled into fists at his sides. His fingers still trembled.

The bell rang.

Students scattered like startled birds, their voices echoing off the lockers in chaotic bursts. Feet thudded, lockers slammed, and then just as quickly, it was over.

The hallway emptied, leaving only the two of them in the quiet hum of fluorescent lights and distant classroom chatter.

Sean finally looked at him.

Really looked.

There was something raw in his expression now, something Drew hadn’t seen before. Pain, definitely. Confusion, maybe even fear. But underneath all of that… there was a flicker. The barest hint of trust, and it was very fragile, but it was still there.

“You shouldn’t get involved,” Sean whispered, his voice hoarse and tired.

“Too late,” Drew replied.

“Again, you don’t know me.”

Drew exhaled slowly, crossing his arms. “Maybe not. But I keep ending up in the middle of whatever this is. And I’m guessing your little club has no idea what’s going on, huh?”

That earned him a look.

Sean’s eyes narrowed. His brows pulled tight, gaze sharpening with something between anger and warning.

“Stay out of it.”

The words hit harder than they should have.

Then, without another glance, Sean turned and started toward the stairwell, shoulders drawn in, spine rigid, footsteps clipped against the tile.

Drew stayed where he was, watching him go.

He told himself to walk away.

To let it go. To mind his own damn business like any normal person would. Clearly Sean didn’t want him there either.

But he didn’t move.

He just stood there, staring at the empty hallway like it held some kind of answer he hadn’t figured out yet. His jaw clenched, his arms still crossed tightly against his chest.

Why the hell do I care?

He didn’t know.

But the image of Sean flinching, of him holding himself like a wound no one else could see, still wouldn’t leave his head. And that small bit of trust Drew could see in his eyes. It was there. But it just needed to be explored.

He didn’t chase after him now.

But Drew was too stubborn to look away now.

Chapter Text

The noise of the cafeteria was too much.

Laughter, slamming trays, the squeak of sneakers on linoleum. It all clashed together in a pulsing, chaotic drone that rattled Sean’s skull. Each sound hit like a jab to the side of the head.

He sat at the edge of the table where the music club usually gathered on Thursdays, on days without rehearsal. His body angled slightly away, like he didn’t quite belong. One knee bounced restlessly under the table. His fingers toyed with the cord of his headphones, twisting and untwisting it into knots he never intended to fix. He wasn’t listening to anything. He just needed something to hold on to.

His lunch sat in front of him, untouched. The condensation from the soda can left a spreading ring on the tray.

It had been two days since he’d seen Travis in the hallway. Two days since that too familiar hand brushed his arm. It had caught him off guard, but in hindsight, he shouldn’t have been surprised. He should’ve known better. Travis always found a way in.

What rattled him more was the fact that Drew had seen it too.

And Drew… confused him.

Sean didn’t know what to make of him. Drew had that coldness to him, with a passive cruelty. But that didn’t quite fit the picture of how Sean saw Drew these past few days.

Instead, he saw someone who kept showing up.

Someone who noticed things he shouldn’t.

Someone who looked at him with a kind of frustrated concern that made Sean feel exposed.

And why?

Why did he care?

Drew and Jake hadn’t said a word to each other since the fight. Anyone with eyes could see the way Jake still glanced over at him with a hopeful but guilty stare. Sean saw it clearly in the way Jake’s smile dimmed whenever Drew was around.

But even then, Sean and Drew weren’t friends.

They’d spoken a few times last year in P.E., nothing memorable. A stray comment here and there. Certainly nothing that would explain why Drew kept inserting himself now.

So why the hell does he care?

He hadn’t even realized how long he’d been staring at the wall until Zander dropped into the seat beside him with a dull thud.

“You’re still spacing out,” Zander said, blunt as ever, but not unkind. His tone wasn’t harsh, just matter of fact.

Sean blinked hard. “What?”

“That’s the third time I’ve said your name.”

“Oh.” His lips twitched into a faint, practiced smile, a default expression. The one he used when he needed people to stop looking too closely. “Sorry.”

Across the table, Luke tilted his head slightly, a quiet furrow forming between his brows. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes lingered on him a second too long. It made Sean want to sink into his hoodie and vanish.

Jake was talking with Milly, trying, and mostly succeeding, to keep things light. Milly was animatedly recounting something about her newest crush on Elliot, gesturing wildly with a forkful of fries. Jake played along, laughing at all the right spots. It was clearly a distraction effort.

And Hailey, seated further down, was trying too hard not to look worried. She kept glancing over between sips of juice, like she didn’t want to ask but couldn’t help herself.

Sean felt it. Every glance. Every pause in conversation. Just waiting for him to say something. To be okay. To not set off alarm bells.

He hated it.

“Hey,” Hailey said. “You’re still up for rehearsals at our place on Saturday?”

Sean nodded automatically. “Yeah, sure.”

The flatness in his own voice annoyed him. He tried again. “Sorry. I just didn’t sleep well.”

“Again?” Luke asked, his voice gentle.

His spine stiffened. “Yeah. Too much homework, y’know?”

A beat of silence.

He could feel the answer wasn’t convincing. Not really. But no one pressed him.

Then Milly leaned into Jake with a grin. “Hey, speaking of rehearsals, remember when you forgot your sheet music last week and blamed the dog?”

Jake made an exaggerated sound of offense. “Okay, first of all, Oreo did eat it.”

Laughter rippled around the table. A pocket of relief.

Sean let out a slow, controlled breath. Inhale. Exhale. One hand slid beneath the table to grip the hem of his hoodie, grounding himself in the feel of the fabric. His chest still felt too tight, but he kept his smile on.

Like always.

But out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement, someone standing at the entrance to the cafeteria.

Tall.

Leather jacket.

His stomach flipped.

Travis.

He was just standing there. Not looking at Sean at first. Just scanning the room like he belonged. Like he wasn’t a convicted felon. Like he wasn’t the reason Sean hadn’t slept properly in days.

Sean’s pulse spiked so fast it made his head spin. His heart stuttered, pounded, deafening in his ears. Zander said something, maybe asking if he was okay, but the words didn’t land.

Because Travis’s eyes had found him.

And he smiled.

That slow, knowing smile.

Sean couldn’t breathe.

His chair scraped back loudly, the sound slicing through the cafeteria, before he even realized he’d stood up.

“I gotta go,” he muttered, grabbing his tray, his headphones, his bag, anything and everything. His hands fumbled, but he kept moving.

“Sean—” Hailey’s voice reached for him.

But he was already walking.

Fast.

Not running. That would draw attention.

So he walked.

Swift, stiff steps toward the side doors, the world a blur of faces and movement and noise. Laughter. Trays slamming. Sneakers squeaking.

Everything was too loud.

He pushed through the door into the hallway, his lungs burning, chest aching.

The halls were quiet. Blessedly empty.

He didn’t go far. Just a few steps past the doorway before he stopped, back against the cool metal of a locker. He slid down until he was sitting on the floor, one arm wrapped around his bag, the other pressing hard over his chest.

His fingers trembled.

His whole body trembled.

He stared at the opposite wall, unblinking.

No one saw what Travis did to him with a look.

No one knew how hard it was just to sit still and pretend he was normal.

No one knew.

He drew his knees closer.

Just five minutes.

He just needed five minutes.

He hoped no one came looking for him.

He didn’t hear the footsteps at first.

Not over the pounding in his chest. Not over the white noise ringing in his ears.

But then came a shadow, blocking the dull light above him.

“Man,” said a voice too familiar, dripping with amusement. “You really spook easy, huh?”

Sean’s breath hitched.

He didn’t look up. He didn’t have to.

Travis crouched beside him, one elbow resting lazily on his knee like they were just two friends catching up in the hallway.

“You always run when I smile at you?” Travis asked lightly. “What’s the matter? Thought we were past that.”

Sean didn’t respond. His throat had closed up. He kept his eyes locked on the floor, all of a sudden now wanting someone to find him. Maybe a teacher would round the corner. Forget about hiding Travis from everyone, he just begged someone to come find him now.

“Still not talking to me?” Travis tilted his head, voice softening as he reached out, two fingers brushing Sean’s arm, just like in the hallway before. That same, practiced familiarity. “After all we’ve been through?”

Sean jerked away from the touch. His chest squeezed tighter.

“Don’t,” he whispered.

Travis chuckled. “You used to say my name like it meant something, y’know. Not like that.” He leaned in closer, voice curling against Sean’s ear. “I miss the old days. Before your brother got so self righteous and threw a fit. Before that little friend of yours snitched to him. What was her name again? You two don’t seem to be friends anymore.”

Sean turned his face away, shoulders hunching, and stood up. “You shouldn’t be here,” he managed, trying to get away.

“Oh, baby. It’s your own fault this is happening. It isn’t my fault you're so irresistible." Travis’s tone turned syrupy as he grabbed onto him, keeping him trapped. “Or maybe it’s your brother’s fault for introducing us in the first place.”

Sean’s stomach flipped again, worse this time, like the ground had gone loose under him.

Travis's fingers moved again, slowly brushing a lock of hair away from Sean’s forehead. Sean flinched, but there was nowhere to go. The lockers were at his back, and Travis’s arm blocked his escape.

“I heard you’ve been spending time with a new crowd,” Travis murmured. “The little club kids. Cute. Trying to play normal again.”

Sean tried to push him away again. “Get away from me.”

“Come on.” Travis’s voice dipped lower, too gentle, too knowing. “Don’t be like that. You’re still mine. You always have been.”

Sean’s head snapped toward him, eyes wide. “I never—”

Travis grabbed his jaw.

Fingers digging in, not enough to bruise, but enough to hurt. Enough to remind Sean just how strong he was. Just how fast this could turn.

Sean shoved at his chest, but Travis didn’t move. His grip only tightened, thumb brushing the corner of Sean’s mouth like he owned it.

“I told you before,” Travis murmured, tone dropping into something darker. “You don’t get to pretend this never happened. You don’t get to play normal and act like I’m the past. I’m not going anywhere, Seanie.”

Sean twisted his face away, but Travis was already leaning in.

And then he kissed him. It was hard. Uninvited. Disgusting.

Sean struggled instantly, one hand pushing against Travis’s shoulder, the other clawing at his wrist. But Travis held firm, lips pressing harder, possessive and cruel. He kissed like it was a punishment. Maybe it was.

Sean bit him.

A sharp, desperate snap of his teeth.

Travis hissed and pulled back, his face twisted in something between pain and amusement. “Wow, feisty!” he let out a laugh, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His voice turned mocking. “Good. I like that about you.”

Sean didn’t wait, he shoved him again, harder this time. “Get away from me!”

Travis caught his wrist mid swing and yanked him forward so fast Sean nearly lost his footing.

“You think those little music friends of yours can protect you?” Travis snarled, voice low and tight with threat now. “You think that rich kid you’re cozying up to is gonna stop me?” His breath was hot against Sean’s cheek. “I know you. I know everything about you. Your habits. Your routes. Where you sleep. What you flinch at.”

Sean struggled in his hold, trying his best to push him away, but it only made Travis’ grip on him more painful

Travis leaned in again, not kissing this time, just hovering, mouth near Sean’s ear. “You can run, baby. You can even hide. But we both know how this ends. You always end up back with me. Big brother ain’t here to protect you anymore.”

Then he let go.

Just… let go.

And Sean stumbled back a step, breath coming in short, panicked bursts. His hands were shaking so badly he had to tuck them against his sides just to keep them still.

Travis smiled, satisfied. “See you around.”

And he walked off like he hadn’t just torn a hole straight through Sean’s chest.

Sean didn’t move.

Couldn’t.

His whole body vibrated with aftershock. With rage and shame, the fear all crashing together in a blinding haze.

He wanted to scream.

He wanted to hit something.

He felt like his lungs were filled with cement. Every breath scraped his throat raw, and his heart was punching against his ribs like it wanted out. He could still feel Travis’s grip on his jaw. His mouth. His breath.

He wiped at his face again, roughly, as if he could scrub the memory off.

“Sean?”

His whole body jolted at the sound.

He didn’t have to look to know it was Drew. Because for some reason it was always Drew.

Drew stood frozen in the hallway, halfway between storming forward and staying put.

His eyes swept over Sean in one rapid, silent assessment, and whatever he saw made his expression shift fast with alarm and confusion, then something dangerously close to anger.

“What the hell happened?” Drew demanded, stepping closer.

Sean turned his face away, hand going up instinctively like he could ward him off without touching him. “Nothing. Don’t—don’t worry about it.”

Drew stopped a few feet away. “Don’t give me that.”

“I said I’m fine.”

“You’re not,” Drew snapped, more urgently now. “You’re—Jesus, you're shaking— Sean, what happened?”

Sean’s breath hitched. He couldn’t answer. Couldn’t move. His chest was seizing again, each breath thinner than the last.

“Back off,” he managed hoarsely. “Just— leave me alone.”

Drew didn’t move. His fists clenched at his sides. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re clearly not okay. I saw you leave the cafeteria and I—”

“I said I’m fine!” Sean snapped, louder than he meant to. His voice cracked on the last word. His vision blurred. He staggered back a step and gripped the edge of the locker.

“Shit,” Drew muttered. “Sean, breathe. Hey—hey. Look at me.”

Sean shook his head violently. He couldn’t. His ears were ringing. The hall spun around him. Everything felt too close and too loud and too bright.

“Stop,” he whispered. “I can’t—I can’t—”

“Okay, okay.” Drew’s voice changed instantly. No less firm, but steadier now. Gentler. “Just breathe. Come on. You’re having a panic attack.”

“No I’m not.”

“You are.” Drew stepped forward now, slow but sure. “And it’s okay. Just— listen to my voice. That’s all you have to do.”

Sean’s knees buckled slightly. He slid down the locker without meaning to, curling his arms around himself as he fought for air. His fingers trembled so badly it felt like they weren’t even part of his body.

Drew dropped into a crouch in front of him. “Can I help? Just nod. One nod.”

Sean was breathing so quickly and harshly. He couldn’t breathe. He needed to breathe. He felt himself nod, just barely.

“Okay,” Drew said softly, shifting onto the floor. “Breathe in with me. Just follow me. Ready?”

He inhaled slow and deep.

Sean’s breath hitched again, but he tried. It was ragged and broken, but he tried.

“Good,” Drew murmured. “Now hold it. One, two, three… out.”

They did it again. And again.

And somewhere in the middle of it, the shaking in Sean’s hands began to lessen. The pressure in his chest eased, barely, but enough to stop him from spiraling off the edge. His head thudded back against the locker, eyes glassy.

Drew didn’t say anything more.

He didn’t ask.

Didn’t press.

He just stayed there on the floor with him.

Minutes passed before either of them moved.

Sean finally pulled his sleeves over his hands, fingers twitching as the adrenaline drained and left him cold.

“This is pathetic,” he muttered, eyes fixed on the floor.

Drew didn’t answer right away. His voice, when it came, was quieter but more urgent. “No. Whatever is going on with you isn’t pathetic. That wasn't pathetic. You are not pathetic.”

Sean’s jaw tightened.

He wanted to argue. Wanted to push back or scoff or pretend Drew didn’t get it. But the words wouldn’t come. Not with his throat still raw and his hands still shaking and the ghost of Travis still on his skin.

Drew watched him for a second longer, then leaned back just enough to give him space.

“I’m not gonna force you to talk,” he said, voice steady again. “But I’m not walking away, either. So get used to that.”

Sean closed his eyes. Something in his chest cracked, just a little.

And for once, he didn’t tell him to leave.

He just stayed quiet.

And Drew stayed with him.

Chapter Text

Everything in the cafeteria was annoyingly loud.

Zoey sat at her usual table, center of the room, the unofficial throne of girls who laughed too loud and talked like people were accessories. She twirled her smoothie with her straw, not bothering to drink it. Her lip gloss was fresh. Her nails were perfect. She looked the part.

Lia sat beside her, scrolling through her phone with glossy pink nails and curls that bounced just right, picture perfect, as always. Her face was neutral, unreadable. But her shoulders were too stiff.

They weren’t really talking. They hadn’t really talked in days.

Not since the competition day. Not since that stupid audio clip leaked. Not since Lia showed up to support Jake and the music club of all people.

Zoey remembered seeing the photos on instagram. Lia smiled in the crowd, clapping like she belonged there. Like she wasn’t supposed to be here, beside her.

It had made Zoey’s stomach twist.

They never fought about it. Zoey didn’t give her the chance. She smiled and said she didn’t care.

Now they sat together like nothing was wrong. Best friends in public, strangers in silence.

“So… are we still going to Mallory’s party Friday, or are you bailing?” Lia finally spoke.

Zoey didn’t look up. She kept stirring the half melted smoothie like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. “I never said I was going.”

“You never say anything lately,” Lia muttered, not quite under her breath.

Zoey’s eyes flicked up. “Maybe I’ve just been busy.”

“With what? You skipped two classes yesterday.”

Zoey gave her a look. Lia backed off a little but kept going, her voice lighter now, like she was trying to steer them back to normal. “Okay.. Just don’t ghost Mallory again, she already thinks you hate her.”

“I do hate her,” Zoey said flatly.

Lia huffed a laugh. “Yeah, well, you could at least be a little nicer about it.”

Zoey smirked a little, but it didn’t last.

“By the way…” Lia continued, “Have you noticed Drew’s been sitting alone? I don’t think he’s talked to Liam or Henry since that fight with Jake. Is he mad at them as well?”

Zoey’s smile vanished. “Shut up.”

Lia blinked. “What?”

“I said shut up, Lia. I don’t want to talk about him.”

It came out harsher than she meant. A few people at their table glanced over, but quickly looked away. Zoey leaned back, arms crossed, eyes locked on the far wall like she could melt it with her glare.

Lia’s voice dropped. “I wasn’t trying to—”

“I don’t care.” Zoey cut her off, still not looking at her.

Lia didn’t say anything else.

Zoey could feel the apology hanging in the air, could feel her own guilt start to bubble beneath the surface, but she shoved it down hard. Her jaw clenched, but she didn’t take it back.

She just went quiet again.

And in that silence, the hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood up.

She didn’t know why, but something suddenly felt off. She began to glance around instinctively, unsure why she was feeling like this. Finally, she glanced toward the cafeteria doors.. and saw him. The same chocolate brown hair and ivory skin. Still in that dumb leather jacket of his.

Zoey froze immediately.

She was suddenly thirteen again, skinny, sleepless and desperate, wedged between a best friend who was breaking right in front of her and a boy who turned everything rotten with just a smile.

Travis.

She hadn’t seen him since freshman year, but that didn’t matter. Her body remembered before her mind did. The way her fingers went numb. The rush of cold that swam beneath her skin.

He wasn’t supposed to be here.

He couldn’t be here.

This was a school. A place where someone his age shouldn’t be near unless they were teaching.

Zoey's gaze snapped away from Travis, and instantly began trying to find her old friend. When she spotted him, she knew he saw him too. Sean was frozen, looking right at Travis’s direction and not at those stupid freaks. His expression was unreadable from here, but she didn’t need to see his face to know exactly what he felt.

Because she’d seen it before.

In the cracked tile of his kitchen floor. In the silent sobs that left his chest trembling when he thought no one was looking.

Zoey swallowed hard.

She remembered every second. Every threat. Every time Sean said he was fine when he wasn’t. Every time she said it too. Like it was their little game of pretend.

Except it really had been all a game. She knew that’s how Travis saw it then, and how he was seeing it now too.

And now he was back.

In the same room as Sean. Smiling like he belonged.

And nobody knew.

Nobody even looked twice.

Zoey gripped the edge of the table. Her nails bit into the plastic.

She wanted to scream, to rip her chair back, grab Sean by the arm, drag him out of there.

But she didn’t move.

Because what would she even say?

That she used to be friends with the guy in the music club that was supposed to be a year older than her because she was a junior? How in reality, she was supposed to be a senior this year, but failed her freshman year because of all the shit that had gone down that year. How her and Sean had been close, closer than anyone at this school would ever know.

Zoey's throat burned. Lia’s voice faded again, a buzzing blur at her side. Zoey didn’t dare look away.

Because Sean was moving now. She saw his hand shake when he picked up his bag. Saw the way he walked like someone was holding a knife to his spine.

And for the first time in a long, long time—

She didn’t feel like the girl with the pretty hair and perfect friends and carefully painted mask.

She felt like the kid from the wrong side of town again. The one with holes in her backpack and too many secrets to count. The one who used to sit on the floor of Sean’s bedroom eating dry cereal while he cried into her hoodie sleeve and told her it was fine.

Fine.

It was never fine.

Zoey’s fingers trembled around her straw.

Travis was still standing there.

Watching.

Like he had all the time in the world.

Gosh, she didn’t even know he was out. How did she not realize he was out?

Zoey stood so fast her chair scraped against the floor.

“Where are you going?” Lia asked, startled.

“I—bathroom,” Zoey lied, voice thin.

She didn’t wait for a reply. She didn’t care.

Instead of heading toward the nearest restroom, she cut across the cafeteria, weaving through the crowd with her jaw tight and her heart sprinting. She ducked into a side hallway, took the first turn, and found the farthest bathroom away from everyone.

Zoey sat curled up in the last stall, the one with the broken lock and the little rectangle window above the toilet that overlooked the parking lot.

Her knees were hugged tightly to her chest, phone clutched in her fist like it could keep her tethered to something real.

No matter how many deep breaths she took, the dread wouldn’t leave. Her heartbeat thudded unevenly, painful and loud in her ears.

Travis was here.

He shouldn’t be.

He wasn’t supposed to be out. Not yet. Ethan had told her he’d be locked up for at least another year. That was the plan. That was the deal.

They weren’t supposed to see him again. Not ever.

And yet—

There he was.

He’d looked at Sean.

With that same look he always had.

That possessive, sick hunger in his eyes.

It made Zoey want to scream. Or throw up. Maybe both.

She hadn’t seen Sean look like that in years. Not since freshman year. Not since—

That night. After Travis started becoming bolder with his actions. When he found out Zoey told Ethan about what was going on.

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the memory away.

But it came anyway.

Sean. Curled up on her bedroom floor. His lip split, hands shaking, eyes red and too wide.

Travis pounding on the front door. His threats as if he had nothing to lose. Because that same day was when Zoey told Ethan about everything that was happening. And Travis knew Ethan was going to find him. The sound still echoed in her skull sometimes. His voice, low and sing-song and full of twisted affection. It made her skin crawl.

She’d held Sean as tightly as she could that night, despite the fact she had also had a mark on her cheek from when Travis had slapped her.

The bruises. The silence. The way Ethan’s face crumpled when he found them.

Zoey hadn’t spoken to Ethan since he left.

She never wanted to.

She blamed him just as much as Travis. Maybe more. Ethan was supposed to protect Sean. And instead, he bailed. Disappeared without a word.

Left the wreckage behind.

And Sean stopped talking to her too.

When she had to repeat her freshman year, she started hanging out with a different crowd. The type of people who sneered at softness and laughed at other people’s pain.

She still remembered the argument they’d had.

She’d been jealous, though she’d never admit it. Jealous that he got to move on. That somehow he didn’t fail, and she did. That he still carried himself like he was whole, even when she knew he wasn’t.

He’d been angry. Said she was becoming one of them. That she was cruel now. That she knew how it felt to be kicked while you were down and still chose to turn around and do it to someone else.

He wasn’t wrong.

But it had pissed her off anyway.

So she’d thrown his words back at him. Harsh and mean words. He did as well.

She still remembered the day he stopped walking home with her.

And she let him.

Because it was easier that way.

Easier to pretend she didn’t care.

Easier to become someone else. Someone untouchable. Someone with sharp edges and glossy lips. Someone who got to decide who was worth her time.

Someone who made the world spin for her—

Instead of being crushed beneath it.

Now the mask was cracking. And beneath it, she felt like that same scared girl again. Back when she had holes in her sneakers, when she couldn’t sleep because she was too busy listening to sirens outside, when her only real friend was a boy who never asked her to be anything but herself.

And now he was in danger again.

And he wasn’t telling anyone.

Not Jake. Not Zander. Not Hailey. Not any of the rest of those freaks.

She was confident that they have no idea but anything.

And some part of her, that petty scared and bitter part, wanted to keep it that way. Because if anyone knew who she really was, if they knew she used to cry to Sean in the dark, how they used to shield each other from the cruel world, then everything she’d built would fall apart.

She’d lose the image she made for herself. The version she was able to start over with and not be the pathetic anger issues bitch who no one liked because she dressed too poorly. Everyone would know that she actually lived in a shitty house and truly was the only one really providing.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone buzzed.

Lia!!! : hey. u ok?

She stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the keyboard.

What was she supposed to say?

No. I saw the man who ruined my life and was probably planning something really fucking crazy because he was a psychopath who was out for revenge.

She deleted three drafts before finally replying.

Zoe Zoe: bathroom. just needed air. i’m fine.

It was a lie.

But she’d lived on lies for so long, it almost felt like truth.

She stood up slowly, her legs numb. In the mirror, her reflection looked wrong, too pale and hollow.

She reapplied her lip gloss. Fixed her hair.

And walked out of the stall, out of the bathroom, and back into the world like nothing had happened.

She would get through the day as normal. She knew Travis loved playing games. Depending on how long he’s been out, he would like to torment before doing something lethal and dangerous. It gave her enough time to go to Sean’s house today or tomorrow and reunite with her old friend.