Page 107 of Encounter

Gregory closed the main door behind him, with the last thing I could see being his lifted middle finger.

Feeling much lighter after a few minutes with the two of them in here than I did for the past three days, I inhaled and looked around, motivated to give it a go. It was better than feeling sorry for myself. I had to take responsibility—even if that was the last thing I did for him.

A letter, huh...?Shit—might as well embarrass myself if it’ll make Galen feel better.

Ibarely had time tothink about what happened in the first forty-eight hours after I left Chast's place. I surprised myself by not completely breaking down the moment I got home—and resolving to cutting like I always did.

I was still hurt and numb, but somehow, I managed to steer my brain away from it all by studying and playing piano and then studying some more... I turned off my phone and locked myself in my room, blasting Bach on full volume while I drowned my brain in numbers and analytics. That way, my stupid emotions had no way of reaching me.

Unfortunately, by the time I got home from school on the third day, I was already losing steam.

Throwing my bag next to the stairs, I went to the kitchen—sighing and stretching my aching neck—to get something to eat before attempting to rejuvenate myself with some more piano. When I passed through the hall again with a yogurt drink in my hand, I suppressed the uncomfortable sensation passing through my chest as my eyes landed on my running shoes on the rack.

I wanted to go for a run—I almost missed it—but I knew being with my thoughts only would make me think about it all even more. Would make me think about him, and that always led to missing him. And then I felt that dark, cold void inside calling out for me again.

Did I protect myself from it because deep down I knew this hurt was much worse than all the others? That if I really thought about it, I would feel so hopeless I worried what I would do...?

I jerked when someone knocked on the main door, realizing I stood frozen in front of the music room door. Frowning, I glanced at the clock—it couldn’t have been a package for Dad, since he’d usually have them delivered straight to work.

Who the hell is it?

Putting the drink on the key table, I brushed my hair back and begrudgingly went to open the door. As I glanced into the camera display on the wall next to it, I saw a young pregnant Latina, playfully balancing on her toes while she stretched her lower back. Anxiously, I searched my mind, but her face wasn’t familiar.

After clearing my throat, I finally cracked open the door.I poked my head out, smiling hesitantly. “Hello...?”

Her face quickly shifted from boredom to an energetic, charming smile. “Galen,” she said as a greeting, and glanced over my shoulder. Probably noticing my confused expression, she lifted up the book in her hand. “Your dad home?”

It took me a moment to realize it was one of my textbooks. One I left at Chast’s.The implications of it all hit me like a shock wave, sending nervous buzzing into the tips of my fingers. Speechless, I shook my head and stepped away to let her get in.

“Thank god. Makes it so much easier,” she noted with a playful wink and looked around. “I’m Mia. Gregory’s wife. You met him recently, right?”

When she turned her head to me, I blinked and nodded, still trying to wake up from the shock. I’d spent the past few days doing everything I could to not think about Chast and what happened, and now, she was standing in front of me. I was glad he didn’t come himself, though—I had no idea how I would’ve handled that.

“He asked me to give you this.” She slowly handed me the book. Her tone was much softer and calmer now.

No matter how angry or hurt I was, I still couldn’t help but be glad he cared.

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