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I swallow the lump in my throat, suddenly emotional just hearing her voice. “Hey, Ads. Sorry if I caught you at a bad time. I just really wanted to hear your voice?”

“Well, you’re lucky I just got out for lunch. It would’ve been confiscated if it went off in class, then I wouldn’t have it for a month.”

A beat of silence passes as I remember the last time I did that. Her foster parents didn’t bother getting it back as a form of punishment for leaving it on during school hours.

“So… how’s Cade?” she teases, and my stomach flips instantly at the mention of his name. Cade isn’t just some guy helping me anymore, he’s my future husband, and I suddenly realize how badly I want her to know.

“Really? That’s the first thing you’re going to ask me about? Him? Not how I’m doing?”

“Oh, please! You can’t video call me from his house, on his iPad, while petting his dog, and not expect me to have questions.”

His house. The place I now call home, and hopefully, soon, she will too.

“He’s… amazing.”

“Oh, yeah?” she teases gently. “Sounds like someone’s got a major crush.”

“More than a crush,” I admit, tightening my hold on Stanley’s leash. “I, uh… we’re engaged.”

I wince, slowing my steps, waiting anxiously for her reaction.

Silence.

I pull the phone from my ear briefly, making sure I didn’t accidentally disconnect.

“Adley?”

“Wait,” she breathes, shock clear in her voice. “You’re engaged? Like, actually engaged?”

I take a shaky breath, suddenly aware of how insane it must sound. “Yeah. Cade asked me to marry him yesterday, and I said yes.”

Another brief silence, then a laugh filled with disbelief. “What the hell, Sav?”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t date.”

“Yes, I do.” Even as the words fall out of my mouth, I know she’s right.

“You barely talk about anyone, and now you’re marrying a guy you slept with once?”

“Adley!”

“Sorry. His dog is cute, and you looked happy.”

“That’s because I am happy.”

“Good, but as your sister, it’s okay for me to be a little skeptical, especially since I thought you were pretty much done with men after Jeremy chose fighting over you.”

I rub my forehead. Jeremy’s name is causing me a giant headache today. “Jeremy and I were just friends. He didn’t choose anything over me. He didn’t have that option.”

“Mhm.” She sounded unconvinced and it felt ridiculous that I was defending myself against my little sister, but I keep going.

“It’s not crazy, I promise. We’ve known each other for over a year, and he’s incredible. Determined. Smart. He’s going to play hockey for the Atlanta Anglerfish next year.”

She pauses, absorbing it all before softly asking, “Does he love you?”

“Yes.” The answer comes immediately, confidently. I’ve seen it in the fierce protectiveness, the warmth in his eyes and the way he makes me feel safe and wanted. “Cade’s different, Ads. He makes me feel like I actually belong somewhere.”

With him.

“Do you love him?” Her voice is gentle, careful.

“Yes. He’s everything I could ever want. He’s gotten me through so much.”

Silence fills the line again, stretching uncomfortably. My stomach knots tighter with every passing second, my nerves taking hold. Did I say too much? Is she worried I’m rushing into something crazy or using Cade as an escape? Just as anxiety threatens to consume me, Adley finally speaks.

“Well, then I’m happy for you, Sav. You deserve it after everything you’ve been through.”

I let out a relieved breath. “Thanks. You do too. I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

“Really?” Skepticism colors her voice.

“I’m serious. He’s at a game tonight, but we’ll set up a video call soon, like last time.”

There’s a beat of silence, just long enough to make my chest tighten again before she scoffs quietly. “So over the phone like last time.”

“It’s all we can do.” For now, at least.

“Well, I look forward to meeting him, and would you mind holding off the wedding for another four years when I’m allowed to travel without my foster parent’s consent?

” Irritation laces her voice, and I feel just as unsatisfied as her.

She has no privacy there, but again, I’m finding it hard to hold back telling her about Fern.

So I change the subject.

“How’s school going?”

“It’s fine.” The response comes too quickly, forced.

“Adley,” I gently warn, slowing my steps further. “What’s going on?”

She hesitates. “Nothing. Just normal school stuff.”

I stop walking entirely, anxiety spiking again. “Ads. Don’t lie to me.”

Adley sighs deeply. “It’s Briar.”

“What about her?”

“That girl Carissa is just a bitch,” she mutters, her voice low and threaded with anger.

“What did she do?”

“She’s been targeting Briar even more lately,” Adley says quietly. “It’s bad, Sav. Briar’s coming home crying. She’s inconsolable some nights. Yesterday, she was taking notes, minding her business. Carissa sat behind her, and before she even realized what was happening, people started laughing.”

Dread coils tightly in my stomach. “What did she do?”

Adley’s voice trembles. “She cut Briar’s hair, Sav. Right in the middle of class. Snipped off a chunk and waved it around like some sick joke. The teacher did nothing. I half-expect he laughed along since I’m pretty sure she slept with him last year to get her grades up.”

“How’s Briar?”

“She acts like she doesn’t care, but I can see it when she comes home. I hear the taunts. They call us orphan charity cases, and some of them act like we don’t matter since we don’t have parents who will fight for us.”

My fists clench so tight, the leash digs painfully into my palm. Stanley whines quietly, sensing my distress.

“I’m going to kill her,” I whisper fiercely.

“Carissa?” Adley asks nervously.

“Yes, Carissa,” I snap. “And everyone else who laughed instead of stopping it. How’s Briar now?

” I ask, my voice strained because I feel fiercely protective over a girl I’ve only met once through FaceTime.

“I promise, Adley, I’m going to figure out a way to help both of you,” I say firmly, my voice carrying all the conviction I have.

“Just hang in there, okay? Keep Briar close. Stay safe.”

“I will,” she replies quietly, exhaustion heavy in her voice. “I should probably get back to class.”

“Of course. Talk soon?”

“Yeah. Love you, Sav.”

“Love you too.”

I end the call, still trembling with the intensity of my emotions. Kneeling down, I scratch Stanley gently behind the ears, drawing comfort from his steady presence.

“Let’s go, Stanley,” I whisper, rising to my feet, my resolve stronger than ever. “We’ve got work to do.”