Page 138 of Haunt Me

Faith: Put it in a song, Your Highness.

Isaiah: Ok, I will.

Faith: Wait, I didn’t mean… Never mind. Are you still drunk, Isaiah?

Isaiah: Oh yes.

Faith: What room are you in? I’m coming over.

I hear steps padding outside my door a few minutes later. I’m in the first guest room. Manuela said that it used to be her room when she was a kid. She came back to stay the night; she’s sleeping in Eden’s bed again.

I know that Eden wakes up from nightmares, and I am grateful that Manuela will be here to take care of her when I can’t. My coming here has been a massive trigger for Eden’s trauma. So, yes, I’m glad Manuela is here, but I’m also jealous. It should be me. I wish I was the one holding Eden when the monsters come, but I’m too drunk to be of any use to anyone right now.Never again.

The door opens and Faith walks in.

“Is he awake?” Manuela’s voice asks. Oh, great, they are both here.

I try to lift my head from the pillow and the ceiling spins.

The mattress dips under the weight of Faith’s body as she sits beside my head.

“Please tell me he’s not crying,” Manuela stage-whispers to her, fully aware that I can hear her. There is pity in her voice, and a bit of worry too. I hate that.

“I have missed so much, Faith.” My speech is slurring a little, but I have never been more awake in my life. I would have gone crazy if I hadn’t texted her—but I probably wouldn’t have had the guts to do it if I were sober. “Tell me everything. I’ve missed so darn much.”

“It’s not her fault,” Faith says softly.

“It’s not his either,” Manuela tells her.

I sit up, clenching my teeth against the nausea.

“We all know whose fault it is,” I say, “and that monster is the last thing I want to talk about. Instead, tell me how she managed to survive. I don’t… I don’t want to ask her yet.”

“It’s you,” Faith says quietly. “You are how she managed to survive. You were the one good thing in her life. The one good thing.”

I scoff. “How can you say that, Fee?”

“How can I not?” She places her hand on top of mine. Her fingers are warm; mine are chilly.

“I loved her,” I say quietly.I love her.

“We know,” Manuela replies. “It’s why she survived. It’showshe survived.”

“Dammit, Manuela, making me cry,” I say and I wish I hadn’t, but then she says:

“Call me Manu, little prince.”

“Would you stop it with that prince stuff?” I sigh.

“Right,” Faith says, “I’m going to make some coffee.”

We both stumble after her in the dark, whispering to each other all the way to the kitchen like little kids. The house is dark and unfamiliar, and I am still dizzy, so I more fall down the stairs than climb them. Faith and Eden catch me, laughing, before I smash my stupid head on the floor and I groan. Faith shushes me loudly enough to wake the entire block and Manuela tries to stifle her giggles and fails miserably.

“Shut up,” Faith hisses at her, laughing as well. “You’ll wake the whole house.”

“I can’t believe I left my child at home for this,” Manuela groans, pulling me along.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble.

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