SHAWNAI sighed and wrapped my hands around the warm mug, even though I wasn’t cold. "I know. I do. But this feels different, Damien. She's not picking up her phone. She's not even replying to texts. That’s not like her."Damien reached over and gently placed his hand over mine. "You have to breathe, Shawna. She's not a little girl anymore.""That's the problem," I said softly. "She’s growing up and pulling away, and I don’t know if I’m handling it right. What if we pushed too hard this time?"He leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. "Maybe we did. But maybe... that’s what she needed to figure things out.""I don’t want her figuring things out in the arms of that boy," I muttered, staring into my tea like it would give me answers."That boy has a name. Ramon," he said gently. "And I don’t know much about him yet, but Phoebe’s not stupid. She sees something in him."I pressed my lips together, shaking my head. "But does she see it clearly? Or is she just rebelling against us? Agai
PHOEBEI couldn’t stop smiling.Mom actually said it. She said she’d give Ramon a chance. I didn’t even know what to say. I just hugged her, tighter than I ever had.“Thank you,” I whispered. “You have no idea what this means to me.”She smiled, but her eyes still looked cautious. “Don’t make me regret it, Phoebe.”“You won’t,” I promised, still holding onto her like I never wanted to let go.It felt like the air had shifted in our house lighter, warmer. All that tension between us, all the arguing and silence and stares, it felt like it cracked open into something soft again. Something hopeful.The first person I thought about next was Granny. I needed to tell her. She always understood me more than anyone. Not just listened, but understood, like she could feel what I felt without me even saying much. I had to tell her. I needed to see her face when she heard it.I grabbed my bag and headed straight to her place. As soon as I walked in, she was already at the door, like she knew.“Ba
SHAWNAI sat there in the kitchen, my fingers wrapped around the coffee mug, the warmth of it doing little to ease the cold feeling in my chest. I had been trying to push away the gnawing jealousy I felt, but it wasn’t easy. Phoebe had been so open with my mother, telling her everything, while I was left feeling on the outside. I couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d run to my mom whenever she had something on her mind. What about me? Why didn’t she come to me?I was frustrated, unsure of how to even approach the situation. Phoebe was my daughter, yet it felt like I was losing her bit by bit. I knew she was growing up, and I didn’t have any control over that. But it still stung.I stared out the window, the feeling of being left out creeping up on me again, until I heard the soft footsteps coming down the hall. I didn’t need to look up to know it was my mom. She’d always been able to sense when something was bothering me, even when I tried to hide it.“Shawna, you okay?” she asked, s
SHAWNAI met up with Damien later that evening, just after the sun had started to dip below the trees. The sky was painted in soft oranges and purples, the kind of calming colors that made you want to slow down and breathe. The air was cooler now, the heat of the day finally giving way to a gentle breeze that brushed against my skin. I pulled my cardigan tighter around me as I walked toward the little park near our house. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a few benches, a narrow path, and a small patch of grass, but it was our place. Whenever things felt too loud or too heavy inside the house, this was where we came to talk.Damien was already there, sitting on one of the wooden benches under a tall oak tree. His head was bent over his phone, his fingers scrolling slowly. His expression was calm, focused, the soft glow of the screen lighting up his face.“Hey,” I called softly as I got closer.He looked up immediately, and when our eyes met, he smiled, that easy, warm smile that always m
PHOEBERamon’s face was frozen like he’d seen a ghost.I couldn’t hold it in, I burst out laughing. “Oh my God, Ramon! You should see your face!”He blinked a few times, like he was trying to wake himself up from a dream. “Phoebe. This is not funny.”I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, still giggling. “It is a little bit funny.”“No, it’s terrifying,” he said, wide-eyed. “Your parents hate me. Your siblings ignore me. I don’t even think your dog likes me.”I placed my hand gently on his arm. “Ramon, come on. It’s not that bad.”“It’s worse.” He looked serious now. “You’ve seen it. Your mom glares at me like I stole her favorite necklace. Your dad won’t even shake my hand properly. And your brothers, they act like I’m invisible.”“They’ve promised they’ll try,” I said softly, squeezing his arm. “They told me they’re going to make an effort. And I believe them.”He raised an eyebrow. “And we’re just supposed to walk in there like nothing’s happened?”“Yes,” I said, nodding. “We’r
PHOEBEAs soon as we got to the house, my heart started racing a little. I glanced at Ramon beside me, who looked like he was walking into a haunted mansion instead of my childhood home. His hand was a little clammy in mine, and I gave it a small squeeze to remind him I was right there.“It’ll be fine,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure I fully believed it myself.He gave a tight nod. “I’m trusting you.”I nodded back, smiled to reassure him, and stepped up to the door. My stomach twisted as I rang the bell. Every second that passed felt like it stretched on forever. Ramon shifted beside me, pulling at his sleeve, clearly nervous. I could practically feel his thoughts buzzing just under his skin.Then, with a soft creak, the door opened.And there he was, Billy.He stood like a statue, tall and square-shouldered, with that usual unreadable look on his face. His eyes scanned me, softening just a little, and then he gave me that familiar, half-hearted smile.“Hey, Phoebs,” he said, voic
PHOEBEAs soon as Mom told Billy and Jasper that Ramon was the special guest for dinner and they should be nice, I could’ve hugged her right there and then. My heart was pounding in my chest, but she gave me this calm, reassuring smile like everything would be okay.“Thanks, Mom,” I said, my voice a bit shaky as I held Ramon’s hand tighter and walked past Billy into the house.She smiled at me, then looked over at Ramon. “You better come in before these boys start a war at the front door,” she said playfully.Ramon nodded politely. “Thank you, ma’am.”“Oh, none of that ma’am stuff,” Mom said with a warm laugh. “ Relax, dear. You’re not being marched into battle.”He smiled faintly, though I could feel how tense he still was.“Come on, dinner’s almost ready,” Mom said as she started walking toward the dining room. “And I’ve been dying to talk to you.”Ramon glanced at me, eyes wide. I mouthed it’s okay and gave his arm a small squeeze.“You remember that day Phoebe was robbed, right?”
RAMONI took a small sip of water, trying not to fidget too much. The food on my plate was delicious but my nerves were still high. I was trying hard to stay calm, to not show how much every little glance or question from her brothers made my stomach twist.I hadn’t expected them to be this intense. Every word they said felt like it came with a double meaning. Every joke had a sharp edge. And every look in my direction was like I was some kind of puzzle they didn’t trust but were determined to figure out.Still, I didn’t want to mess this up. I didn’t want Phoebe to regret bringing me here.“Thank you, Grandma,” I said quietly, giving her a small smile. “For standing up for me… and for the food. Everything tastes amazing.”Her face lit up instantly, her whole expression softening. “Oh, don’t mention it,” she said with a little chuckle, waving me off. “You’ve got manners, which is more than I can say for some people at this table.”Her tone was playful, but her eyes were sharp as she s
PHOEBEI walked through the front door, trying to act normal. But I couldn’t hide the smile tugging at my lips, or the way my body felt light, like I was floating. I hadn’t felt this… happy in a long time.Billy and Jasper were on the couch playing video games, but the second they saw me, they both paused the game and turned their heads slowly.“Well, well, well,” Billy said, grinning. “Look who’s glowing.”Jasper leaned forward and squinted at me. “You’re smiling way too much for someone who just got back from grocery shopping.”I rolled my eyes. “Mind your business.”Billy stood and crossed his arms like he was interrogating me. “We didn’t mind our business. That’s exactly why you’re blushing like that.”“I’m not blushing,” I said quickly, covering my cheeks even though I totally was. I could feel the heat rising, and that only made it worse.Jasper laughed and nudged Billy. “You totally are. And we know why.”I narrowed my eyes at both of them. “What are you two talking about?”Bil
RAMONI stared at the screen for a long time after the call ended. Phoebe’s dad? Golf? What was that even about? The man barely looked at me when I was dating his daughter. Why now?I paced the room, trying to make sense of it. Was it a trap? A test? Did he know something?I grabbed my phone, heart thumping. My fingers hovered over Phoebe’s contact."Don’t do it," I whispered to myself. "She doesn’t want to talk to you."Still, my thumb hit the call button.It rang.And rang.I was about to hang up when her voice came through, sharp and cold.“What do you want, Ramon?”I hesitated. “I…I know you don’t want to hear from me, and I get that. I just... I thought you should know something.”“What?”“Your dad. He called me. He invited me to golf with him tomorrow evening.”There was silence on the other end.“You’re kidding,” she said finally.“I’m not. I don’t even know what to make of it.”“That’s... weird,” she admitted. “But you should go.”I blinked. “Really?”“Yes. He’s not the type t
RAMONHis face was tight with anger, every muscle in his jaw flexing like he was holding himself back from exploding.“You’ve disappointed me, Ramon,” he said, voice cold and sharp. “You’ve truly disappointed me.”I stayed silent, standing stiff, hands clenched at my sides.He shook his head slowly, eyes filled with disgust. “I should’ve known. I should’ve known you weren’t ready for this. That you weren’t cut out for anything that required real strength or discipline.”I swallowed hard but didn’t speak. I knew better. I’d learned over the years that interrupting him when he got like this only made it worse.“You’re not worthy,” he spat. “I never should’ve put my trust in you. You were supposed to finish this. You were supposed to be the one who handled it all without catching feelings like a weak little boy.”He stepped closer, jabbing a finger in my chest. “But no. You let a girl unravel everything. One spoiled, privileged girl and suddenly your loyalty goes out the window? Are you
RAMONI leaned against the wall, arms still crossed as I watched Billy and Jasper circle my living room like they were on some episode of a home makeover show gone wrong. Their snide comments still echoed in my ears, but what hurt more wasn’t the jokes, it was the reason they were here. Phoebe.I exhaled slowly and finally said, “I didn’t mean to hurt her.”Billy paused, turning back to face me. “Yeah? Could’ve fooled us.”Jasper added, “She cried, man. You know how hard it is to make Phoebe cry? That girl could watch a sad movie and still hold it together.”“I didn’t try to hurt her,” I said, louder this time. My chest tightened. “Things got messed up. I made mistakes, yeah. But I never meant for it to end like this.”Billy folded his arms. “So, what? It just happened? You just ‘accidentally’ broke her heart?”Before I could even defend myself, that familiar, smug voice chimed in from behind me.“Alright, that’s enough.”I flinched.My uncle stepped forward, arms folded across his ch
RAMONI slammed the door behind me and let out a heavy sigh. The silence in the house was louder than ever. My shoes echoed on the floor as I walked into the living room. Everything felt tight in my chest. My throat burned, and I kept replaying her face in my mind…Phoebe was hurt, angry, her eyes watery like she was holding everything back.“Idiot,” I muttered to myself. “You really messed that one up.”I pulled off my jacket and tossed it on the couch. “You told her to walk away. Like some fool. Like she meant nothing.”I paced the room, dragging both hands down my face. “She told you to leave and you actually listened? What the hell, man? Who does that? Who actually walks out on someone they…” I stopped short, heart pounding. “Someone they…”I didn’t finish the sentence. Couldn’t. Saying it out loud would make everything worse. Realer.I clenched my fists, frustrated. “You just hurt the only woman who gave a damn about you. Congratulations.”Then, out of nowhere, I heard a creak beh
PHOEBEThe shoe flew faster than I expected. I was aiming for Billy, but the timing was just bad, really bad. The door opened right as I let go, and instead of hitting one of my annoying brothers, it smacked right into my assistant’s face.“Oh my God!” I gasped, rushing toward her. “Maya! I didn’t…I wasn’t…oh my God, I’m so sorry!”She just stood there, frozen, one hand on her cheek, eyes wide like she was still trying to figure out what just happened. Her mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.“That… really hurt,” she finally said, her voice small.“I know, I know,” I said quickly, flustered. “I’m such a mess right now. I swear I didn’t mean to hit you. It was meant for that idiot over there!” I pointed at Billy, who had now crouched behind the chair like he was in the middle of a war zone.“I was just walking in,” Maya muttered, still stunned. “I didn’t even say anything yet…”“I know!” I said again, practically tripping over my words. “And now your cheek is red, and I’m the
PHOEBEI couldn’t believe it. I actually couldn’t believe it.One second he was standing there in my office, all quiet and acting like everything was done and final, and the next, he was gone. Just like that. Gone.I stood in the middle of the room, staring at the spot where Ramon had stood minutes ago, and my chest felt like it was being crushed.And then the anger came.I grabbed the pen holder from my desk and hurled it across the room. Pens scattered everywhere. I didn’t care.He was supposed to fight for me.I picked up a stack of files and flung them on the floor. Papers floated in the air like leaves. Still didn’t care.“He was supposed to fight,” I mumbled under my breath, kicking the side of my chair.Then I reached for the mug he got me last week, the stupid one that said ‘Don’t Talk to Me Until I’ve Had Coffee’ and smashed it against the wall. The crash made me feel slightly better. Only slightly.The door creaked open.“Phoebe?” Billy’s voice.“No,” I said quickly, not tur
RAMONI stood in front of her, feeling like I’d stepped into a storm I wasn’t ready for.Phoebe looked at me with her arms crossed, her eyes sharp and guarded. Not like before. Not soft. Not kind. Just cold.“What are you doing here?” she asked. Her voice was sharp. Distant.I swallowed hard. “I came to pick up my things.”Her face changed for a second. Hurt, I think. But she blinked it away. “So you’re really leaving then?”I shifted on my feet. “Phoebe… you asked me to leave. I’m just respecting that.”She scoffed and looked away, shaking her head like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So that’s it? You’re just walking away like a coward?”My chest tightened. “It’s not like that.”She turned back to me fast. “Then what is it like, Ramon? Huh? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you just gave up on me.”I took a step forward. “I didn’t give up.”“Then what are you doing?” she snapped. “I was angry. I was hurt. But I still expected you to… I don’t know, fight a li
RAMONI didn’t even wait to greet anyone on my way out of the office. I couldn’t. If I stayed another second, I’d probably break down right in front of everyone. And I couldn’t let them see that, not them, not Phoebe. Especially not Phoebe.When I got home, I slammed the door shut behind me, the sound echoing through the space like a warning. I didn’t even bother turning on the lights. I didn’t need them. My body was already moving, fueled by everything I’d been trying to hold in all day. I stormed straight to the back room, where my punching dummy stood in the corner like it had been waiting for me.My fists were already clenched so tightly that my knuckles ached. My jaw was locked, teeth grinding. Every part of me was buzzing with frustration, sadness, and guilt, all mixing in this burning storm I couldn’t shake off. It was like a pressure cooker inside my chest, and if I didn’t let it out, I was going to explode.I didn’t want to think. I didn’t want to feel. I just wanted to hit.