Page 28 of Flare
Emily’s eyes snapped open as something kicked her out of her dream. For a moment, she lay there disoriented, the dream still so vivid she could almost smell the onions and butter from the pierogi filling.
Then she realized her phone was vibrating frantically on the nightstand, its screen flashing. She reached for it with a groan and squinted at the screen.
She froze when she saw a string of text messages from an unknown number.
5:00 AM:Emmie, please. I know you’re scared. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Let’s just talk, okay?
5:03 AM:I love you. I need you. Whatever happened—whatever you think happened—we can fix it. Come home.
5:05 AM:Grandma’s furious. She says I should let you go. That you’re ungrateful and impulsive. But I told her no. I told her I forgave you. You’re mine. You’ll always be my one & only.
5:05 AM:Just text me, Emmie. Just let me know you’re okay. Please.
5:06 AM:Emily. Answer me. I know you’re reading these.
5:06 AM:Don’t do this. Don’t ignore me like I don’t matter to you. You know that’s cruel.
5:07 AM:Fine. I see how it is.
5:07 AM:But why did you go through my files? That was private. Confidential. You knew how much pressure I’m under right now.
5:09 AM:Do you have any idea what you did to me? You triggered me. You made me lose control. If you hadn’t snooped, none of that would’ve happened.
5:10 AM:I trusted you. I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me?
5:11 AM:You’re the one who ran. You left me. And now you’ve turned everyone against me. Just remember, Emmie—you don’t get to play the victim when you’re the one who started this.
Emily’s heart pounded, and sickening fear cramped her stomach as she read the messages.
Andrew must have gotten a new phone number, since she’d blocked his number.
She quickly powered off her phone, her heart pounding.Does he know where I went?
Then she tried to go back to sleep, but couldn’t. Lying sleepless in her darkened cabin, Emily felt shame creep over her as she recalled how she’d hurled accusations and run away from the friend who had taken her in when she had nowhere else to go.
Maggie’s grandmother had welcomed her with open arms. She’d not only given Emily a safe place to stay, but welcomed her into the family, and even promised to protect her from Andrew. And how had she repaid Elle and Maggie?
By acting as if they were monsters.
Emily sighed and rolled onto her side.
She couldn’t blame Maggie for keeping the bear thing a secret. It wasn’t exactly the kind of thing you casually mentioned to someone you hadn’t seen in years.
Hey Em, great to see you again! By the way, my entire family can turn into bears. Pass the salt?
Yeah, she definitely owed Maggie an apology.
Maggie had been her friend for years. If Emily couldn’t trust her, who could she trust?
She sat up and flicked on the bedside lamp, blinking at the painful brightness. First thing, she needed to talk to Maggie. And apologize for how she’d reacted last night.
Eddie—no, Ward—probably thought Emily was the world’s biggest drama queen now. It stung, but she totally deserved it.
She got out of bed and trudged to the bathroom to wash her face and get ready for the day.
She’d just finished dressing when she caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. This early, it was still dark outside.
Oh, God. He found me!She froze, her heart rate spiking before tiptoeing across the cabin and peering cautiously through the living room window.
