Page 91 of The Backup

Grandma leans back, studying me with her sharp, knowing eyes. “And now you’re wondering if you made the right choice.”

I open my mouth to deny it but stop. What’s the point? “Maybe,” I mumble.

She smiles softly, reaching across the table to pat my hand. “Sloane, relationships are never about finding someone who’s perfectly aligned with you. They’re about finding someone worth figuring it out with.”

I stare at her, the truth of her words sinking in as she continues.

“But,” she adds, her tone firm, “that doesn’t mean you settle for someone who isn’t willing to meet you halfway. It’s a two-way street, sweetheart. Always remember that.”

Jacklyn nods, her voice thoughtful. “So…how do you know when it’s worth it?”

Grandma’s eyes twinkle. “When you can’t imagine your life without them, even on the hard days. When the thought of losing them makes you a little braver, a little stronger, because you’d rather fight for it than let it go.”

Her words hang in the air, and for a moment, the noise of the restaurant fades into the background. I think about Asher, the way he made me laugh even when I was exhausted, the way he looked at me like I was the only person in the room.

The way it felt to walk away—and how much it still hurts.

Grandma picks up her wine, taking a sip as she gives me a sly smile. “So, who’s ready for dessert?”

The apartment is a whirlwind of fabric, sequins, and discarded packaging as Jacklyn rifles through her latest Amazon haul, tossing costumes left and right.

“This one’s too basic,” she mutters, holding up a barely-there red dress before tossing it onto the growing pile. “And this one screamsdesperate.”

I sit cross-legged on my bed, flipping through the notification email I got earlier. My MCAT results. A solid score. Good enough for New York, but even better for a school in Texas that just emailed me about a generous scholarship offer.

Jacklyn’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. “Sloane! Hello? Are you even listening to me?”

“Yeah,” I say, folding the email closed and forcing a smile. “I’m here.”

“Good.” She holds up a shimmering gold Cleopatra costume, complete with a jewel-encrusted headdress and a dangerously high slit up the leg. “How do I look?”

“Like Brian’s going to have a stroke,” I say dryly, though I can’t deny she looks incredible.

“That’s the goal,” she says, grinning. “So, what about you? What are you wearing?”

I glance at the conservative dress lying on my bed, a far cry from Jacklyn’s sultry ensemble. “I don’t even know if I’m going.”

Jacklyn gasps like I’ve just insulted her mother. “Excuse me? Youhaveto go. It’s our party!”

“It’s your party,” I correct her, fiddling with the edge of my comforter. “I’m just…not really in the mood.”

Jacklyn crosses her arms, narrowing her eyes at me. “This isn’t about Asher, is it?”

My stomach twists, but I shake my head. “No.”

“Liar,” she says, flopping onto the bed beside me. “Come on, Sloane. What happened with you two? You were all…glowy a few weeks ago, and now you’re just mopey.”

“I’m not mopey,” I protest weakly.

“You’re mopey,” she insists. “And you miss him. Just admit it.”

“I don’t,” I say, but my voice cracks slightly, betraying me.

Jacklyn smirks knowingly. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that?”

I sigh, leaning back against the pillows. “It’s not that simple. We want different things. He’s…I don’t know. He’s focused on football, and I have my own stuff to figure out.”

“Uh-huh,” Jacklyn says, unconvinced. “And yet, here you are, still thinking about him. Sounds to me like you’re just scared.”

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