Chapter30
Sierra pulled up to the school parking lot, and before she even had time to shut the car door, Rowan was already rushing
toward her.
“Sierra! It worked!”
He grabbed her by the shoulders, his whole face beaming with joy.
“Our spore experiment-it finally succeeded! We can start clinical testing now. We could actually save lives!”
“Wait-seriously?” Her voice spiked in excitement.
They’d spent a year and a half on this project, with failure after failure. And now, they had finally made it.
“Seriously,” Rowan grinned. “Professor Tyler’s back too. He wants to take everyone-including the new grad students-out
for dinner tonight. Kind of a meet-and-greet thing.”
Sierra nodded. “Alright. But first, take me to the lab. I want to see it with my own eyes.”
The two of them chatted as they headed off-completely forgetting about Chase, who was still getting out of the car.
He watched as they walked side by side, talking non-stop.
On the drive back, Sierra had barely responded to anything he said. Every topic he brought up, she’d shut down in
seconds.
But the moment she saw Rowan, she was smiling and lively, chatting like they had endless things to share.
Jealousy clawed at his chest, but he was helpless to do anything about it.
That evening at the dinner, Chase made sure to sit on Sierra’s left the moment he saw Rowan take the seat on her right.
That creeping sense of unease had started the moment he returned to Westhaven.
Something between them had changed.
The way they spoke to each other, how they moved-it felt like she was getting closer and closer to Rowan.
Professor Tyler stood at the head of the table, delivering a heartfelt toast.
Then he turned to Sierra and Rowan with a proud smile.
“Sierra, Rowan-this project wouldn’t have been a success without you two. I’ve already submitted your names for advanced research placement at the National Science Institute. You both would have a bright future ahead.”
Sierra and Rowan exchanged a glance and stood to thank him together.
Their fellow lab mates raised their glasses in celebration.
Chase quickly reached for Sierra’s glass. “She can’t drink. I’ll do it for her.”
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Everyone paused, surprised.
Even Sierra shot him a look.
But a moment later, she gently took the glass back from him.
“Thanks, but I’ve got it.”
She downed the whole thing in one go.
She used to be a lightweight. But ever since she realized she had no one to rely on, she’d forced herself to get used to the
burn.
After all, it wasn’t the alcohol that burned the most-it was swallowing down the pain of a broken youth.
Chase watched her, heart aching.
After the dinner, he caught up to her in the hallway.
“At our high school graduation party, you told me you couldn’t drink. Why push yourself now?”
Sierra let out a dry laugh. “Yes I couldn’t back then, but I still drank that night, didn’t I?”
No one helped her then.
And now-even if someone did-she didn’t need them anymore.
Chase flushed and pulled something from his bag.
A clear glass jar, filled with tiny paper cranes.
“Sierra, remember the one Maddie smashed? I folded them all over again and put them in a star-shaped bottle this time. I
know I messed up. I just wanted to-”
Sierra glanced at the jar.
Took one step forward.
Chase’s eyes lit up. Was she forgiving him?
Then-
Crash!
The jar shattered against the ground.
Origami cranes spilled everywhere.
Glass shards scattered at her feet.
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