Chapter 2

At lunchtime, the high school cafeteria was as loud as ever. Kane and Sienna were seated at the center table, soaking up attention from everyone around them.

I took a deep breath and walked toward them with a heavy paper bag in my hand.

As I got closer, the noise around me began to die down. People slowed their chewing, pulled out their phones, and waited to watch me—the "pathetic foster girl"—put on some messy jealous scene.

I stopped in front of Kane.

The second he saw me, his brows pulled together slightly, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. Beside him, Sienna let out a quiet scoff and leaned a little deeper into his arms like she was claiming territory.

I didn't say a word. I just calmly dumped the contents of the bag onto the table.

Thud.

A faded Eagles team hoodie. A cheap silver bracelet, tarnished almost black. And a few birthday cards he'd casually handed me over the years—cards that didn't even spell my name right.

"What are you doing, Elara?" Kane asked, stunned.

I looked at the boy I had chased for three years, my voice so steady it surprised even me. "These things never meant anything to you. Now they don't mean anything to me either."

Kane's face instantly flushed red, while Sienna lifted her brows in exaggerated amusement. "Wow. What is this, your new hard-to-get act?"

I didn't even look at her. I turned and walked away without hesitation.

"Elara! Stop!"

Kane stormed after me and grabbed my arm. "What the hell kind of scene were you trying to make? You really had to embarrass me in front of everyone?"

I pulled my arm free and turned to look at him.

"I'm not making a scene," I said. "I'm just done lying to myself."

Kane dragged a hand through his hair in frustration. "We're friends, Elara! I've always treated you like a friend. Did you really have to make things this ugly?"

"Friends?" I laughed, furious. Then I stepped closer. "Then tell me—when's my birthday? What am I most afraid of? Do you even know the address of the house I live in?"

Kane opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"You were never my friend, Kane." My voice echoed down the empty hallway. "I was just the easiest person in your orbit. Your built-in audience. A background extra who would always cheer for you and never cause trouble. You liked being admired. That's all I ever was to you."

Kane's face twisted with anger. "You're the one who kept following me around! It's not like I put a gun to your head!"

The words hit me like a hard slap across the face.

I looked at his furious expression and suddenly laughed. Tears rolled down my cheeks without warning, but the corners of my mouth still lifted.

"You're right. I was the one being delusional." I took a shaky breath and wiped the tears from my chin. "But it's fine. Starting today, you're free. And so am I."

I turned away.

Behind me, I heard Sienna's heels clicking toward us, along with her sharp little laugh. "What a sad obsession. Like a leech no one can get rid of."

But when I got back to the Foster house, I found Mrs. Foster gripping her phone, her shrill voice nearly piercing through the ceiling. "Look at the stunt you pulled at school! Now every parent in the group chat is talking about the shameless foster girl I took in, the one who made a scene in public like some lunatic! You've dragged the Foster family's name through the mud!"

As she screamed, she kept sending voice messages into the family WhatsApp group, ranting about how "ungrateful" I was.

"I feed you, I clothe you, I put a roof over your head, and this is how you repay me? You were born to bring bad luck!"

Dragging my battered suitcase down the stairs, I faced her for the first time without lowering my head in apology.

"I'm done living for your approval." My voice was flat. "The unpaid housework I've done for this family over the years is worth way more than the little checks you got from the state for taking me in. We're even."

"You dare talk back to me?!" Mrs. Foster shrieked.

"That's enough." Mr. Foster, who had been sitting on the couch reading the newspaper, finally stood up. He looked at me coldly and walked over to yank the front door open. Wind and pounding rain rushed straight into the living room.

"Take your stuff and get out," he said, his voice completely without warmth. "And once you walk out that door, don't come crawling back."

I didn't hesitate. I grabbed my suitcase and stepped out into the storm. Behind me, the door slammed shut with a violent bang.

The October rain was freezing, and within minutes I was soaked through.

I stopped beneath a rundown bus stop shelter. Wiping the rainwater off my phone screen, I found that one lonely name in my contacts, my fingers trembling.

Beep. Beep.

The call was answered after only two rings.

"Elara?"

I tightened my grip on the phone.

"Eli..." My teeth were chattering. "Can I... ask you for a favor?"