Chapter 4: The Last Goodbye

4

I shook off her hand, stared Derek down. “You think a new one is the same?” My voice was steady, but inside I was shaking.

Derek hesitated, almost nodding. Guilt flickered, then pride killed it.

I grabbed their only family photo off the wall—a cracked-glass portrait of Derek and his parents. “Then I’ll tear this up. You can take a new one.”

Derek’s jaw clenched, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the table. “Natalie, you’re going too far. You’re so stubborn. I never should’ve married you.”

His mom paced anxiously, slippers scraping the floor, hands twisting her cardigan.

See, they only get it when it hurts. The tension in the room was so thick I could almost hear the old pipes groan.

[Let’s go Natalie! Finally standing up for herself.]

But I kept my tone calm. “Now can I have my watch back?” I didn’t blink.

Derek signaled. Aubrey’s eyes flashed with reluctance, but she finally handed over the pocket watch, holding it out by the chain like it was nothing.

She gave me a sharp look. “Here, take it. If it’s broken, don’t blame me.”

I didn’t flinch. “If the watch is broken, the photo won’t be intact either.”

Finally, the watch was back in my hands, unharmed. Relief flooded me. My hands trembled as I clutched it tight.

Aubrey ran home in tears. Derek glared and chased after her, his footsteps pounding, the door slamming so hard the windows rattled.

Derek’s mom muttered, “Girls who act all sweet before the wedding always show their true colors once they get that ring.”

I said nothing and dragged myself back to my room.

The sky darkened. I stared at the bus ticket on my table. The numbers printed in blocky ink felt like a secret code, a promise of escape.

If it weren’t so dangerous at night, I’d leave now. I didn’t have much—just a few clothes and some valuables. My battered old suitcase sat open on the bed.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Derek came in, holding a steaming bowl of mac and cheese, the yellow cheese shining in the lamplight.

He never came in here. The room felt even smaller with him inside.

He spotted the bus ticket on the table. Too late to hide it. His eyes narrowed, suspicion flashing.

He was stunned, then sighed. For the first time, I noticed the shadows under his eyes, the lines at his mouth.

“You bought this ticket for me, right? I already agreed to go to Maple Heights with Aubrey. Tomorrow, return this ticket and get two for three days from now.”

When I didn’t respond, his tone softened a little. He set the bowl on my desk, voice almost gentle—almost.

“Don’t overthink it. Aubrey is your neighbor’s little sister, and she’ll be my sister too in the future. She is—”

I stared at the bus ticket, feeling the weight of my whole life in that slip of paper. Tomorrow, everything changes—whether Derek likes it or not.