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“How you feeling today?” I asked, cringing as soon as I said it. I hated when anyone asked me that.

“Good.” She smiled, her eyes lighting up. “Corey’s helping me move to Elena’s today.”

“Yeah?” I grinned, picking up my coffee and taking a sip. “You excited?”

“Elena was talking about college.” She shrugged, her face unsure.

“You could totally do it.” I reached over and clasped her hand. “You really could. We’ll help in any way that we can. Get out of here. Make a life for yourself.”

She looked over my head at whoever had come through the door and nodded. “I think I might. It’ll be good for me, right?”

“What will?” Corey’s gruff voice asked

“Erm…going to college,” she mumbled into her coffee cup.

“Ahh.” He turned, leaning against the counter. “Yeah, it’ll do you good to get away from this place.”

I looked to Corey,

noticing how guarded he was being. I frowned, trying to read him and figure out why he looked so angry.

“What’s going on?” I asked as I stood up.

He huffed, looking away from me and out into the woods. For several seconds, I stood there and waited for it. I knew it was coming sooner or later but I thought I would’ve had more time with him.

“I’ve been called back. I leave in two days.”

My stomach bottomed out, my feet moved toward him and I went straight into his arms. I didn’t know when I would see him again, that was the worst, not knowing when I would talk to him. Not knowing if he was okay.

I was just getting used to him being back and now he was being taken away from me again.

“It’ll be fine, sis,” he said, planting a kiss on the top of my head.

“I know,” I whispered, looking up into his eyes.

“We’ll spend the whole day together tomorrow; you, me and Eli,” he said.

“Okay,” I sniffled onto his shoulder. I loved having my brother here but I knew that he had a job that he needed to do. I backed away and walked out of the kitchen, not being able to face him. I knew I would break down if I saw his face again.

I needed some time to process so I climbed up the stairs and back into bed with Ty, snuggling up to him and closing my eyes.

Finding out that Corey was leaving in a couple of days kicked my ass into gear. There was something that I needed to ask him before he went back.

I’d been on edge all day, and when I finally asked him to meet me in the warehouse, I couldn’t handle my nerves.

I wanted to do this the right way, but even if he said no, I’d still ask her.

I had to.

I paced the length of the warehouse for the hundredth time, my eyes not moving from the main door. He’d be coming through it any second now.

I’d never been this nervous in my entire life.

Not when I started a new school. Not when I went away for basic training.

Never.

My stomach was doing flips and I was sure that I would be sick at any stage. I tried taking deep breaths but nothing was working.