Page 173 of Meet Me at the Metro

“I thought my snoring was bad, but that—”

“Leave him alone, Evie.”

“Fine,” she sighs and mutters, “But it’s not my fault he decided to fall asleep and wake up convulsing in his chair.”

“You’re so fucking dramatic. I did not wake upconvulsing.”

Evie shrugs. “Looked like it to me.”

I pivot my arm so that Harvey doesn’t see the moment when I subtly flip her the bird.

Her grin widens the second she notices it. “You know what... you look like shit.”

“You have such a way with words, you know that?”

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“You two are ridiculous,” Harvey chuckles. “And one day, that sharp tongue will cost you, Evie.”

“And when it comes, I’ll be more than willing to pay the price.”

Evie loves having the last word, and honestly, I don’t have the energy to deprive her of that today, so I remain quiet despite every urge to throw back some witty remark. The room goes silent for a few beats, and the quiet grants my mind just enough time to spiral back into the traps of that dream again. The nightmare wasn’t real, but it was enough to have doubt creeping into every crevice of my brain.

What if I can’t keep her safe? What if the authorities don’t locate John soon? He’s on the loose, with no inkling of his actual whereabouts. That thought is terrifying.

I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if—

“You do look tired, Theo,” Harvey says, drawing me out of the terrifying scenarios wreaking havoc in my head. “Have you not been sleeping well?”

I shake my head. “Not really.”

“Are you having nightmares again?”

The question tenses every fiber of my muscles, and immediately, I want to avoid even acknowledging its existence. However, Evie and Harvey’s eyes are branded on me. I can feel them even as I divert my gaze to the window, giving a glimpse of the setting sun outside.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve been having them, too,” Evie mutters.

“Talk to us,” Harvey insists.

“I’m fine, really.”

“None of us are fine, so stop with the nonsense. A lot has happened over the last few months. Let’s be honest here; it’s been hell, to put it quite frankly. Evie knows it. I know it.Youknow it, Theo.”

I release a strained breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding in and mumble, “I know, and I’m sorry. I just—I feel myself slipping again.”

Harvey tilts his head inquisitively. “How so?”

“The nightmares. The panic attacks. The brain fog. The constant anxiety. They’re all coming back, and I’m terrified. I felt like I had finally gotten to a point where I was healing from everything that happened to Dad,but nowthis,” I gesture to my friend—to the state that he’s in and the medical equipment scattered around the room. “All of this is just so fucked, Harv. You shouldn’t be here right now. None of this should have ever happened, and the worst part is that you haven’t gotten a lick of justice for it. He’s still out there, and you’re still in here.”

“They’re going to find him, Theo,” Evie snarls, her cheeks growing red with anger. “And karma will be a nasty fucking bitch.”

“But how long will it take for that to happen? I promised to keep Nora safe, but what if I can’t? What if he tries hurting her again?”

“It’s completely valid to feel worried, but those‘what ifs’are going to kill you, mate,” Harvey says. “You have to focus on what youcancontrol. You’ve been doing everything possible to fulfill your promise. She knows it, too.”

He’s right. He always is, but it was easier said than done to wrangle all the fears swimming around in my head. I surprise myself when I begin to admit more of them out loud.

“I don’t want Nora’s last few months here to be like this. We deserve more time and deserve to spend it better than this. I don’t want this to scare her away from considering staying. I don’t—fuck, I—”

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