Page 64 of Press Play

“Uh-huh, sure,” she says, not buying it for a second. “Come on.” She gestures for me to follow her inside, nodding toward the stairs.

The moment I step over the threshold, my nerves tangle into knots.

It’s not too late to turn back,a small voice whispers in my head, but I ignore it.

As Brandy starts climbing the stairs, I hesitate. Butterflies churn in my stomach—not the good kind. The closer I get to Mia, the closer I am to admitting what I’ve done, to saying it out loud. To unraveling everything.

Still, I take a deep breath and follow her, each step heavier than the last.

At the top of the stairs, Brandy glances back at me. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I reply quickly.

She narrows her eyes, but she doesn’t press. Brandy never does—she prefers to let her silence drag answers out of people.

When we reach the landing, she pushes open the door to Mia’s room without knocking. “Hey, you’ve got company.”

Inside, Mia is sprawled across her bed, a mountain of pillows and blankets cocooned around her. She blinks groggily at us, sitting up with a groan. “Company? At”—she checks her phone—“7:15?”

Brandy steps aside, revealing me.

“Oh.” Mia’s expression lightens immediately. She throws the blankets off her legs and slides out of bed, her concern obvious. “What’s going on?”

Brandy stays by the door, arms crossed, watching us with her usual analytical intensity.

“There’s been another. . . incident,” I blurt, glancing at Brandy.

Her lips press into a thin line, but she doesn’t move. “An incident?” she asks.

Mia sighs, running a hand through her tangled hair. “Brandy, maybe just give us a minute?—”

“No,” I say, surprising even myself.

Both women turn to look at me, startled.

I swallow hard and lift my chin. “No, she can stay. It’s fine. . . But it’s about Theo.”

Brandy raises a brow but says nothing. She leans against the wall, arms still crossed, and gestures for me to continue.

Mia pats the bed beside her. “Come sit, Wren,” she says gently. “You look like you haven’t slept at all.”

I shuffle over, sinking onto the edge of the bed. “I haven’t,” I admit. My hands tremble in my lap, and I clasp them tightly to hide it.

Mia waits patiently, her gaze steady.

Brandy, of course, doesn’t have the same restraint. “So.” She prompts me. “Are you going to tell us what happened?”

I hesitate, the words caught in my throat. It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it—I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t—but saying it out loud is too raw. Too real.

“I screwed up,” I say finally. “With Theo.”

Mia tilts her head. “What happened?”

I take a shaky breath. “I had him. He was right there, and I panicked. I—I ran.” My shoulders slump, shame washing over me.

“Probably for the best.”

“Brandy.” Mia warns her, her tone sharp.

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