Skylar's POV

"It's been three whole days, Skylar," Nova spoke up. "What's the matter?"

I shifted a little on the couch and switched the television's volume up a notch. Trying my hardest to block her out.

When she failed to get a response from me, she walked forward and stepped in front of the old black and white movie that was currently (maybe) amid a plot twist, and that, made me feel more on edge.

"What do you have against me watching the TV?" I demanded, and Chicken purred loudly in response.

Nova sighed out loud. "I don't have anything against that. It's just that you've been acting lifeless for the past three days and it's strangely bothering the fuck out of me."

She wasn't wrong. But she wasn't right either. I wasn't lifeless. And to prove that, I scratched Chicken beneath the chin and let her jump up on my lap.

"See, that's what I'm talking about." She waved her hand at me. "It's either this or your room and you've been skipping classes. I don't remember the semester coming to an end. Or any holidays in near future."

"You," I sighed and fell on my side, face planting into a cushion. "Sound like my mother." I wanted to sleep. But I'd been finding it hard to do just that lately. I didn't want to sleep. No, I wanted something else. I wanted someone else.

"And you sound like you've lost the only meaning of your life."

Something like that, I almost said, then laughed into the cushion. Maybe I really did need Caden more than he ever needed me.

"What happened?" Nova asked and when I felt the couch dipping, I looked up and saw her sitting just in front of me, looking at me expectantly. Like I'd really tell her everything.

"I just don't feel like doing anything." I sat up and shrugged. "I get those days sometimes. Doesn't everyone?"

"You are depressed."

"I wasn't before but your sudden concern is definitely making me a little depressed."

Nova rolled her eyes and her gaze briefly flickered to Chicken as she tried scratching one of Nova's precious cushions. I didn't try stopping my cat.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because we don't ever have heartfelt conversations?"

"No, I meant why have you been cooped up here for days, you idiot."

I glared at her and her cold look mellowed. "Skylar--"

"Because I don't want to," I said.

"Why?"

"Because living my life inside my apartment feels so much better than living it all outside."

"That's the most awful piece of bullshit I've ever heard." She pointed a bright red fingernail at me.

"I love bullshit," I told her. "And I thought you hated red."

Nova sighed again. I was making her sigh a lot.

"Or do you just hate that colour on me?" I added.

Chicken meowed and tried pawing my face.

"Sky. Skylar." Nova spoke out patiently. "I'm trying to be a nice housemate for once, okay? Whatever it is that's bothering you, tell me. Maybe I can help you."

I glanced at her then looked away. "I don't think you can...I think I broke up?" Another soft--pretty sad--laugh left my lips. "I think I broke up with my boyfriend."

A beat of silence passed by.

"You think?"

No, I feel it, I wanted to say. I missed him. And I didn't even know if he missed me or if he didn't. He hadn't contacted me. He hadn't called me or messaged me and maybe Caden hadn't ever missed me back there either, when I was here in Pennsylvania and he was back there at Crestmont. Maybe all of this, this had just been that. A lie.

Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe he was just giving me space like I asked him to.

It was awful, the way that lost, desperate look in his green eyes kept flashing behind my own. The way he'd tried to stop me from leaving, trying to say things but the words kept dying on his lips. Maybe it should've been me for once to be there with him, ask him what was wrong, and just just be there.

But what if I was all wrong?

"I broke up with him." Nova kept looking at me, waiting for me to go on. "I told him that I needed space. So that is like...breaking up." My eyes stung a little and I looked down at Chicken, swallowing. "Right?"

Maybe this was my fault. I got clingy. I never knew when enough was enough. I didn't know when to stop asking for more.

"I...um." She shifted a little. "Right. Wait, not right right. You needed space. I don't think that's called breaking up."

I looked up at her in disbelief.

"Look, Skylar." She shrugged. "I'm not good at giving relationship advice, but I do think it's way better to ask for space rather than, you know, just going for it. Breaking up, I mean. When you separate yourself is when you finally realise the worth of that something. Or someone."

I felt my chin quivering. "You're not such a shithead, Nova."

Her eyes widened. "Oh my God, Sky, don't you dare start crying on me."

I picked up Chicken and hid my face in her fur, feeling so damn awful. "Why not?" I mumbled.

"Because then we'll be back on page zero with all that painful awkwardness." She patted my shoulder and that alone was plenty awkward. But it was kind of sweet of her too. "I get it. It must be hard for you. But you can't keep up with this. Missing out on classes and life. You haven't even given Mrs Marshall a visit. That goddamn old lady babysat this spawn of Satan for you, whilst having a break-in at her house, and look how you've repaid her generosity!"

And that just brought another wave of self-pity washing over me. I wanted to forget all of this. I wanted to live a peaceful life here in this bustling little city. I wanted to forget about those letters. About that stalker girl who might still be after me. About Caden. Caden. He wasn't here. But he was at the same time. I scrunched my eyes close and felt the silver band digging into my clenched fist.

He was here.

"Maybe we could go out somewhere," Nova suggested. "How about a girls' night out? I do that with my highschool mates sometimes. It might actually cheer you up, to be honest."

"I can pretty much just ignore you right now," I told her.

"Or, you can help me pull a prank on Jessica Woods." I could hear the smile in her voice. "That sounds way less awful than your life right now."

Everything sounded way less awful than my life right now.

•••••

Jessica Woods turned out to be the first person on Nova's list of most despised people. All I knew about her was that she studied at my college, had a nice reputation within Nova's field hockey club, and well, was an enemy. Of Nova. Hence, the prank--which I secretly thought wasn't a prank, but more so a sort of 'fuck you, lady' gesture.

According to Nova, and I had to hear it all, Jessica was an obnoxious little preppy fucker (her words, not mine). And with an attitude that needed to be stabbed. I would've been worried if Nova hadn't explained that it wasn't Jessica we were going to stab, but her ride, yes.

She was supposed to be at the library tonight, after her shift at the local ice rink ended, to gather study material for the pair project Nova and Jessica were supposed to be doing together.

"What did she ever do to you?" I couldn't have helped but ask.

And Nova had given me a dark look at that. "I just don't like her, that's all."

Nova told me we'd be dropping by the local ice rink and busting Jessica's beloved car tyres so she won't be able to reach the library on time. That way, not having the project completed could be blamed all on her and not on Nova.

"Again, what did this poor girl ever do to you?" I had asked her again.

And Nova had grumbled something awfully petty and incoherent. I could've sensed a history there. But I didn't push. It wasn't like I was in the right mindset to do such a thing anyway.

"It's a great chance to forget all about your lousy boyfriend for once, Skylar." She looked up at me pointedly, also carefully stroking Chicken behind her ears as she sat on my bed. I had thought she'd hated my cat all this time until she'd started doing that.

"He's not lousy," I said, opening my closet and trying to search for a decently less dirty jacket. Nova got up in the meantime with (surprise, surprise) Chicken in her hands. "I'll be out in my car. Come out when you're ready, okay?"

I gave her a quick nod and looked away, my stomach twisting a little as she made her way out of my room.

"And don't forget to lock the front door!" I heard her shout from the lounge.

Turning towards the wall mirror, I rubbed my face, trying to somehow wipe off the exhaustion and maybe even the sadness I felt deep down in my chest. I didn't want to leave my apartment, now that Nova wasn't here to chat my ear off. But maybe she was right. Maybe I did need a stupid, and petty, little prank to distract me for a little while.

Shrugging on my jacket, I pulled my hair up in a ponytail and put on my sneakers. I was almost out of the door when I stopped.

Going towards my nightstand, I contemplated for just a second before taking off the silver ring from my finger and placing it on the small glass tray.

And then I left.

•••••

"Cool," Nova said. "Cool."

"I don't need you to keep saying that word," I told her.

"Can you shush the fuck up?" She hissed at me before peeking out from our hiding spot (I still couldn't believe we were doing this) and looking over at the back door of the ice rink.

We'd been here in the parking lot for more than just thirty minutes, freezing our asses off under the night sky, waiting for the right time to bust the tyre of the car we were just hiding behind.

I didn't understand why there had to be a right time. Was slashing tyres right now or a second later going to cause a fucking difference? Why was I even here?

I felt Chicken stir impatiently in my arms.

"Okay. Cool." Nova repeated before turning towards me with a grin. "I'll bust this tyre. You go with that one. Then we'll make a dash for it."

She passed me a tiny pocket knife and got busy with the left tyre.

"Jesus," I whispered before kneeling down, placing Chicken beside me and flipping open the switchblade. "Your father's going to be so disappointed in you, Nova."

"I know, right." She was still grinning. "God, it has been so long since I got to do this."

I didn't bother asking her for any clarification.

It took me a few minutes (the tyre was a bitch) but I did manage to puncture two large holes in it. And then I watched as it started deflating. It was a bit sad to see all the air getting sucked out of it.

Poor Jessica.

Blowing out a sigh, I sat down fully on the ground, dusting my freezing hands on my jeans.

Almost done, I told myself, looking over at Nova as she worked on the other tyre.

Until I heard a voice from right behind me,

"What are you guys doing?"