CHAPTER-4 AMARA - The shadows between us

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, the sound replayed the boy's filthy voice, the sharp crack of Asher's fist hitting bone, the fear that hung in the air afterward. And the worst part was… the part that scared me most wasn't the boys.

It was how safe I'd felt behind him.

That was what kept me awake.

By morning, my head felt heavy, my hands still slightly unsteady as I shoved clothes into my weekend bag. June leaned against the doorway, chewing on a granola bar and watching me with that familiar look, half concern, half mothering instinct.

"You sure you're okay?" she asked softly. "You look… different. Like you're not really here."

"I'm fine," I lied automatically, zipping my bag. "Just tired."

June raised a brow. "Tired doesn't make your hands shake."

I exhaled slowly. "It'll fade. I'm going home today anyway. Maybe being away from campus for a bit will help."

June crossed her arms. "I doubt that. You're still thinking about last night."

I swallowed. Hard. "Obviously."

She sighed and pushed off the door. "I still can't believe some drunken idiot said that to you. And that he tried to get near you." Her jaw clenched. "And Hayes just… lost it."

"It wasn't like he snapped," I murmured, surprising myself with how quickly I defended him. "He just reacted."

"Reacted by trying to break someone's jaw, but to be fair, that asshole deserved it," June said,

I paused, remembering the way he'd stepped in front of me, how close he'd been. His breathing. The tension in his body as he held himself back from doing more damage. The way he'd looked at me after.

"It felt like he was… protecting me," I whispered. "Not showing off. Just…"I shook my head. "I don't know."

June observed me, her expression softening. "Do you want me to come with you? I can skip the weekend shift."

I picked up my bag. "Tomorrow is Ava's birthday. You know how my family is. They won't love the idea of me showing up with a guest."

June made a face. "Especially Mia."

"Especially Mia," I muttered.

"What time will you be back on Sunday?" June asked.

"Probably by evening. Depends on traffic."

She nodded, then stepped forward and hugged me tightly. "Call me when you reach, okay? And if anything feels off back home, you call me again."

"I will," I murmured into her shoulder. "Thank you."

The drive out of the city felt heavier than usual. The buildings blurred into an open highway, the sky pale and washed out. I kept replaying last night in my head until I forced myself to stop.

Think about home instead. About Ava.

That thought didn't help.

By the time I pulled into my childhood home's driveway four hours later, my stomach was a knot. The house looked the same, with its white siding, rose bushes near the porch, and the faint dent still on the garage door from when my dad had reversed too quickly years ago.

But just seeing it made my chest feel tight.

I rang the doorbell out of habit, even though the door was never locked.

My mom opened it almost instantly. "Amara!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a hug. She smelled like vanilla candles she always kept burning. "You're early! Good, good. Ava will be so excited."

I smiled, though it felt like stretching thin paper. "Hi, Mom."

She led me inside, her voice floating ahead of me. "Mia's upstairs with Ava, helping her pick an outfit. They've been at it for an hour. You know how those two get."

My steps slowed before she could notice.

Mia.

My perfect, golden, untouchable sister.

I set my bag at the foot of the stairs. "I'll go say hi."

My mom kissed my cheek, completely oblivious to the tightening in my throat. "Good. Dinner's in an hour."

I started up the stairs slowly, every step feeling heavier. Halfway up, I heard laughter, Ava's bright, bubbly voice and Mia's polished, confident one.

The closer I got, the more my heartbeat sped up.

I paused outside Ava's room, took a breath, and knocked.

"Come in!" Ava called.

I pushed the door open to see Ava spinning in front of the mirror in a sparkly purple top and black jeans. Mia stood behind her, adjusting her hair.

Ava turned first. "Amara! You're here!"

She threw her arms around me, and I hugged her back tightly. "Happy early birthday, kiddo."

"You're staying all weekend, right?" Ava asked eagerly.

"Of course."

Then Mia turned around.

Her expression didn't soften. Didn't brighten. If anything, she looked… irritated.

"Amara," she said coolly. "Didn't think you'd make it this early. You're usually late."

I forced a smile. "Nice to see you too, Mia."

She gave a small shrug, picking up a makeup brush. "Well, we've got a lot to do today. Try not to get in the way."

Her voice wasn't harsh. It was casual. Casual in the way that cuts deeper than shouting ever could.

Something in my stomach twisted.

I stood near the doorway, watching Ava chatter about her plans for the weekend. But Mia didn't look at me again. Not once.

For the first time in almost a year, all four of us were in the same room. Ava sat cross-legged on the floor while Mom gently braided her hair, humming softly. Dad watched the news with half interest. Mia scrolled on her phone, looking as bored and detached as she always did when she was with us.

Mom smiled, glancing around the room. "It's nice, isn't it? Having everyone together again."

For a moment, it really was.

Until Mia spoke.

"So, Amara," she said, voice dripping with that fake sweetness, "anything new at school? Any achievements worth bragging about?"

I brightened. "Actually, yes! I'm working on this new project. It's with Hayes Corporation."

Mia didn't even let her finish. She laughed. Right in her face.

"Please. Hayes Corporation? Working with you? Amara, don't make stuff up. A tech giant does not need an English major. Please keep your delusion and reality separated."

My chest tightened. I tried to keep smiling, tried to keep my tone calm. "Why would I lie? It's for digital archiving."

Mia rolled her eyes dramatically. "Right. Because a multibillion-dollar tech company woke up one day and said, 'You know what we need? Amara.'"

Heat crept up my neck. "It makes sense," I said quietly. "My role is..."

"Your role?" Mia cut in sharply. "What role? You can barely handle your own life. What could you possibly contribute to them?"

Ava stiffened, instantly defensive. "What's wrong with working with her? She's good. She..."

"Oh, Ava, don't do that," Mia snapped. "Don't defend her like she's some wounded puppy."

I felt the blow like a physical hit. My eyes flew to Dad, hoping, praying he'd intervene.

He didn't.As always.

He kept staring at the TV like he didn't hear a thing.

And Mia… Mia knew exactly what she was doing. She always did. The golden child with the perfect grades and perfect future, and that superiority complex she carried like a crown, especially now that she was doing a PhD in medicine. She acted like the rest of us were dust on her shoes.

"I'm just being honest," Mia added, shrugging. "Hayes is working with you? It's laughable."

I swallowed hard. My throat felt tight, my fingers cold. Mom glared at her, but I nudged her gently, silently telling her not to fight.

I wouldn't let Ava's birthday fall apart because of me. Because of her, it was nothing new she always tried to ruin good moments and my moments, making them all about her."

"I'm going to take a walk," I said softly as I stood up.

Mom looked up, concerned. "Sweetheart, where are you going? It's late."

"I just… need some air," I lied. My voice didn't even sound like mine.

No one stopped me.

An hour later, after driving around aimlessly in circles, trying to breathe through everything building inside me, I found myself standing in front of the cold iron gates of the graveyard.

My chest cracked open the moment I stepped inside.

Before I even reached his grave, the tears were already falling, not because of Mia's words, not really, but because of the entire week crashing down on me at once, and she was just a cherry on top.

And because no matter how hard I tried to bury the past, my brother's absence always found a way to split me open.

And that was somehow worse. I felt the familiar buzzing in my chest, the warning sign.

My hands trembled.

My skin prickled.

I tried taking a deep breath, but it only made everything shake harder.

Not here. Not here.

For the first time in almost a year, all four of us were in the same room.Ava sat cross-legged on the floor while Mom gently braided her hair, humming softly. Dad watched the news with half interest. Mia scrolled on her phone, looking as bored and detached as she always did when she was with us.

Mom smiled, glancing around the room. "It's nice, isn't it? Having everyone together again."

For a moment, it really was.

Until Mia spoke.

"So, Ava," she said, voice dripping with that signature fake sweetness, "anything new at school? Any achievements worth bragging about?"

Ava brightened. "Actually—yes! I'm working on this new project. It's with Hayes Corporation. Amara's part of it too—"

Mia didn't even let her finish. She laughed. Right in her face.

"Please. Hayes Corporation? Working with you two? Ava, don't make stuff up. A tech giant does not need an English major."

My chest tightened. Ava tried to keep smiling, tried to keep her tone calm. "I'm not lying. It's for digital archiving—"

Mia rolled her eyes dramatically. "Right. Because a multibillion-dollar tech company woke up one day and said, 'You know what we need? Ava and Amara.'"

Heat crept up my neck. "It makes sense," I said quietly. "My role is—"

"Your role?" Mia cut in sharply. "What role? You can barely handle your own life. What could you possibly contribute to them?"

Ava stiffened, instantly defensive. "What's wrong with working with her? She's good. She—"

"Oh, Ava, don't do that," Mia snapped. "Don't defend her like she's some wounded puppy."

I felt the blow like a physical hit. My eyes flew to Dad, hoping—praying—he'd intervene.

He didn't.As always.

He kept staring at the TV like he didn't hear a thing.

And Mia… Mia knew exactly what she was doing. She always did.The golden child with the perfect grades and perfect future and that superiority complex she carried like a crown, especially now that she was doing a PhD in medicine. She acted like the rest of us were dust on her shoes.

"I'm just being honest," Mia added, shrugging. "Hayes working with you two? It's laughable."

I swallowed hard. My throat felt tight, my fingers cold. Ava glared at her, but I nudged her gently, silently telling her not to fight.

I wouldn't let her birthday fall apart because of me.

"I'm going to take a walk," I said softly as I stood up.

Mom looked up, concerned. "Sweetheart, where are you going? It's late—"