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They’re so predictable that way, and I hide an amused look with a yawn.

“Alright, honey,” Dad says. He gets up and pulls me into a hug. I lean into it for just a minute, enjoying how familiar he feels. “Sleep well then. We’ll see you in the morning.”

It’s a relief to escape to my room after that.

It’s not exactly like I left it. The sheets have been changed and most of the decorations have been taken down from the walls. Being here still makes me feel like a kid again in a way, and I let out a sigh before going to the bathroom and getting into my pajamas.

As nice as it is to be settled and not be on the road anymore, it feels lonely to be going to bed alone for the first time in a few days.

I pull out my phone and read the text Ares sent again. I can’t pretend part of me wasn’t worried that now that we’re back here, he was going to disappear again, so him reaching out first feels good.

Now that my parents can’t see and ask me who I’m talking to, I send back a reply.

ME: I missed that place. I’m as settled in as I can be, but you know what it’s like here. How are things with you? You’re not staying with your parents, right? Lucky.

The indicator that Ares is typing pops up a few seconds later, and then a picture comes through. It’s the interior of the cabin the three of them are staying in. It’s all warm woods, lit with golden light with a fire going in the fireplace. I can just make out a heavily tattooed arm thrown over the back of the couch in the background, and I smile at the sight.

ME: That looks very cute and cozy. Looks like you’re missing a Christmas tree though.

Before Ares can respond, my phone vibrates with another text. This one from Tate. Before I can open that one, one from Callan comes through. I didn’t even know they’d put their numbers in my phone, but it must have happened when I was asleep at some point.

I grin, my stomach fluttering a little at the fact that all three of them are texting me.

TATE: If your parents are anything like Ares’, I bet you wish you were here with us right now.

ME: Oof, you had to meet The Thorntons (the capital letters are very important). My parents aren’t quite as bad, but yeah, it’s been a lot.

I switch over to Callan’s message.

CALLAN: How are you?

ME: Exhausted. Just spent the last two hours pretending to care about business.

Ares texts me again, and I find myself going back and forth between the three text threads. It gets confusing after a while, so I eventually start a group thread and message all of them at once.

ME: I can’t believe you’re in that beautiful cabin and you’re all sitting around on your phones talking to me.

ME: Go build a snowman or something.

TATE: We wouldn’t have to be on our phones if you were here, you know.

ME: Yeah, let me just go downstairs and tell my parents I’m going to hang out in a cabin with the hated Ares Thornton and his friends. That’ll go over well.

TATE: Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you needed their permission.

CALLAN: You don’t need it.

ME: I know I don’t. But it’s complicated.

ARES: It doesn’t have to be. You can just sneak out and say you went to see a friend or something.

ME: They know everyone in this town.

ARES: If you come over, I’ll get a Christmas tree.

ME: From where?

I get a blurry picture in response, clearly taken out of a window in the cabin. It’s of a thick patch of trees in the darkness, coated in snow.