"Anyone still hungry?"

"No, just you. Hey, Roger, what happened to your diet? You ate like—three burgers."

"Cheat day."

"There's no such thing!"

We sat at a circular booth at the corner of the restaurant with a lamp dangling above. The restaurant was part of Cameron's father's company. Because of that, Owen was able to get a full–time job as an assistant chef. We came here quite often to show our support.

The company restaurant was surprisingly busy. Most of the tables were full, and servers ran around with smaller-portion plates.

"I wonder if Owen made the food," Kaze said.

"He probably did," Cameron replied. "Remember the fuss Tim made to the waiter about knowing Owen. He definitely took initiative."

"Hey, I've been holding in jokes for a while. It's hard not being able to act the way I want to in front of new people."

Tim started university a few months ago and has lived in a single dormitory environment since. Aurora's University is on the other side of Ionia, which takes roughly two hours by car to reach. He spent his time in his dorm studying business, and when he wasn't studying, he would lie on his bed and scroll on his phone.

The food itself tasted like a fresh, home-cooked meal. It made me nostalgic about our time in the outside world, which was forever ago.

Roger checked his silver-chained watch. "Work in the morning," he sighed. "I don't want to go."

"I thought you liked your job," Kaze said while slowly picking at his pasta.

"I do. Mornings are rough. My stomach growls, and I can barely stay awake."

Tim smiled devilishly. "Your body has plenty of protein to eat."

And then came Roger's defensive statements. I rolled my eyes and nibbled on my warm frosted cinnamon roll.

Roger got a job at a vehicle dealership doing sales. He's well-spoken and has a certain charm with customers, which earned him a hefty commission.

"I can settle the check," Sydney said. "Leave and get some rest."

Roger waved his hand and refused. He wanted to leave altogether, since getting together in the first place had been a challenge.

Owen moved in with Cameron. Their place was almost like a palace, cluttered with late-night snacks and fun.

Tim lived in a dormitory on the university campus, surrounded by opportunity. He studied constantly and always spoke about doing better, even though he was almost at the top of his class.

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Roger landed on his feet and recently moved out. The quick raises he managed to receive turned into a small apartment. Nothing fancy, but his own. He bragged about the space like it was a castle, and honestly, it might as well have been.

And there was I, still living at Sydney's place with nothing going for me. Every morning, I wake up to do nothing. Every night, I tell myself I'll figure it out tomorrow. It wasn't jealousy that burned. It was shame.

I got a barista job at a small cafe, working part–time just to kill time. It's not something I wanted to do, but something that kept me on my feet instead of rotting inside.

Once the check was paid, we said our goodbyes to Owen and headed outside. Tim called for a taxi while giving everyone a quick hug before going back to university. I held onto him a bit longer, not wanting to let go.

Roger waved and made his way toward the car he'd borrowed from a colleague. He proudly passed his driver's test not too long ago. Since then, he's been non–stop bragging about his driving.

Sydney, Kaze, and I went back home. The car ride home was silent. Sydney asked if I was ok. I nodded with a hum and stared outside the window.

A few weeks later…

I slowly descended the stairs. Having just woken up, I rubbed my eyes and felt groggy. Sydney lay on the couch with a book in her hand. She's gotten into reading big lately, which has led her to neglect some household responsibilities.

The dishes piled up in the sink. I'd never seen Kaze do them, and I didn't feel like doing them. I ignored the pile and leaned against the wall with my phone in my hand.

I called Roger last night to ask if he wanted to do anything. I got no response, which was odd since he picks up fast. He would leave a message whenever he didn't answer, too. So far, nothing.

"Let me see if Tim is free," I muttered before calling.

A few rings led to nothing.

"Odd…" I looked up from my phone. "Sydney, I think my phone is broken."

"What makes you say that?" Her eyes never left the book.

"I called Roger last night and didn't get a response. He would've messaged me by now. I also called Tim and got nothing."

"You're overreacting. They are probably busy."

"True… but they usually answer, at least message me saying they can't. I just want to make sure they're ok."

Sydney lightly sighed. "Roger is probably busy with clients, and Tim is studying for exams. They're both busy and not on their phones. There's nothing to worry about."

I slid the phone back into my pocket. "They always make time for me. Even if it's just a few minutes."

She went back to reading. "Don't know what to tell you." With a short sigh, Sydney immersed herself in a fantasy world.

I rolled my eyes and went back into her bedroom. I collapsed on the air mattress and stared at the dark ceiling, the curtains unraised. The fan quietly spun. With a yawn, my eyes drifted shut.

That was until my phone rang.

I jerked upright, heart racing, and answered without checking the screen.

"Hello?" I said in eagerness.

"Hey, Jill."

I froze. The voice was familiar but out of reach. It wasn't Roger or Tim.

"Who's this?"

"I prefer we don't talk on the phone in case they are listening. I'm going to text you an address. Meet me and Tim there."

"Wha—Tim? Who is this?"

"It's… Avery. The reason I'm calling is because SCAR has Roger in custody. We need to discuss your future and where to go from here."

"Avery…?" I shook my head, a dry laugh breaking through. "I don't believe you. How do I—"

A familiar voice caught my voice by the hook. "Hey, Jill, it's me, Tim. If you don't want to believe him, then believe me."

The blood drained from my face. My phone nearly slipped from my hands as the room tilted.

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