Page 24 of Who Let The Wolves Out?

“You were my best friend.”

Her eyes fill. “I know.”

“And you didn’t tell me. You didn’t even—God, Mel, you let me find out likethat.”

She flinches.

“I walked in,” I continue, voice trembling. “You knew I was coming back early. Youknew.And you still...”

“I messed up,” she whispers. “So badly.”

“You didn’t just mess up,” I snap. “You broke me. I didn’t just lose him—I lostyou.You were my person.”

Tears are falling now, hot and fast.

Melody’s lip wobbles. “I know. And I will regret it for the rest of my life.”

“I kept waiting for an apology. For something. And then when you didn’t call, I thought maybe I made it all up. Maybe it wasn’t real.”

“Itwasreal,” she says. “You were my best friend, Alice. And I was selfish. I was jealous. And when he started flirting with me,I didn’t push him away because... I wanted to feel wanted for once. And I hated myself for it.”

She’s crying now too.

“I wanted to call,” she says. “So many times. But I didn’t deserve your forgiveness. So I convinced myself you didn’t want to hear from me.”

“I didn’t,” I whisper. “Not then.”

“And now?”

I take a deep, shaky breath.

“I don’t know.”

We stand there, surrounded by silence and the faint lap of lake water.

And somehow, I don’t feel like I’m drowning.

“I’m sorry,” Melody says again. “Truly. I was awful. And if I could take it back, I would.”

I nod slowly. “Thank you.”

It’s not a Band-Aid.

It’s not forgiveness.

But it’s something.

A piece of peace.

I find Jason later behind the cabin, sitting on the porch steps, peeling an orange with his claws. Not even subtle about it.

He looks up. “So?”

I sit beside him. “We talked.”

“Yell or cry?”

“Mostly cry.”

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