Krystal sat in the new home of her sister and Yuri. Her sisters touch had yet to enter the space. It was crowded with a few things she’d brought from her home with her ex-husband and spilling with her children’s toys.

“Why do I sometimes feel like you’re hiding things from me,” Jessica asked, leaning forward on the couch toward her sister. She took her four-month-old out of her sister’s hands and into her own arms. “You always have this odd look on your face recently.”

Krystal wanted to deny it, but she knew exactly what her sister meant. She was hiding something, and she didn’t even know why anymore. Well, she knew why, she just didn’t know why she let the reason apply to everyone in her life.

“What aren’t you telling me,” Jessica asked.

Krystal shook her head negating the claim, but too honest to tell Jessica she was wrong out loud. She didn’t even know why she was hiding it, especially from her sister, who would be the most understanding. She knew her sister wouldn’t tell anyone if she asked her to, but she just couldn’t get to say it out loud.

Maybe it had simply become a habit. Maybe it was residual fear. Maybe it was just superstation that made her feel that if she said something now, she would never have a chance with Amber. She probably didn’t deserve one anyway. She had been leading her own for so long. Keeping her close, but never close enough for them to be what they used to be.

She felt Jessica drape her arm around her shoulders. Her soft voice said comfortingly, “Just know that I’m willing to listen whenever you’re ready to talk,” her hand her hair, “I’m always here for you.”

Krystal shrugged her off and stood. “Sorry for staying for such a short time today but I’ve got to get going. I’ll try to make it over again next weekend, but I’m not sure what my schedule will be like.”

There was gentle reproach in Jessica’s eyes, but she decided not to press her baby sister for more information. She got to her feet as well, her baby tilted against her shoulder, and leaned toward Krystal for a quick hug.

“Your life is your own, remember that.”

For a brief moment, Krystal panicked, wondering if her older sister somehow knew. Her heart seem to skip a beat, but then Jessica gave her a playful bump of her elbow and said, “You know I’m rooting for you, right?”

Krystal gave her a small self-conscious smile. “You too, Jess. I really hope your designs are chosen next time.”

Jessica’s brow ticked, “Well, at least I’m still on the project. That’s more than I could’ve hoped for last month. Even though my skills still need a lot of work, they admire my aesthetic.”

“Really, no one can beat you when it comes to taste.”

Jessica flipped her hair like it was a given and Krystal couldn’t help but laugh. She was extremely proud of the new brightness that her sister seemed to exude.

She got serious though and squeezed her sister’s upper arm. “You really will do fine,” she reassured her. She waved a hand vaguely toward the front door. “I hate to leave so soon, but I’ll see you next week. I’m really glad that you live almost as close as you used to.”

They said their goodbyes and Krystal shuffled out the door, pulling her burgundy scarf closer to . For some reason the winter seemed colder than usual. Or maybe it was just her thoughts. She somehow felt lonelier than ever, and it was made all the worse because she knew it was her fault.

Tell her, her mind insisted. She will understand.

She didn’t know if she was talking about Amber or her sister.

She shook her head. She was scared. She knew that deep down beneath all of the rationalizations. She had been scared more than half her life and being scared to just go away. It couldn’t.

So she got into the car that was waiting for her out on the street. She headed back to her home that she shared with her parents. The parents that didn’t know anything about her and would disown her if they did.

When she reached the front door of her giant house feeling colder than ever, she was beginning to wonder if it was really worth it. She had nothing there except for stability. That would all go away when she graduated in a few months. But she would start immediately working in her father’s company, earning money right away. She’d seen from the brief moments at Amber’s house how important that was. She’d start off with a better hand than most people were ever dealt. It would be unwise to give all that up just for one girl; no matter how important, amazing, or wonderful that girl was. Besides, they were both so young. Surely one day, someday, one day when they both had it all together, there would still be time for a second chance. Time to explain. Time to find a way to each other again.

“What are you doing,” Henry asked, walking into Amber’s bedroom. He’d been living with her so long she was starting to think the status was permanent.

Amber didn’t turn to acknowledge him as she took photos off the wall and placed them in a shoebox. She made sure not to crease them or tear them as she gently removed the tape.

“Moving on,” she answered, sounding tired. “I’ve been holding onto her a lot longer than I should have. I’m done.”

“So you’re telling me you no longer going to take her calls at two in the morning? You’re not going to listen to her excitement about her newest classes? You’re not going to attend her graduation, even though you’ve been there since the beginning?”

Amber clutched the corner of one of the pictures as she stared down at it, thoughts and memories flittering through her mind. “Her graduation,” she said softly. She bit her lip. If Krystal asked her, she would go.

“You’ve got a trip to Japan coming up,” Henry reminded her gently. “Are you sure you want to go and then come back to your room completely empty of her?”

Amber crossed her arms over her chest, considering it. She blinked around at her walls which were quickly becoming bare. She hadn’t been in a room with undecorated walls since Krystal had come into her life.

She nodded. “I’m sure.”

At that exact moment, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Henry and Amber looked at one another as if they could guess who it was. Pulling out her phone, Amber’s brows scrunched in confirmation. She debated whether to open text.

Henry laughed. “You know you’re going to read it at some point anyway, you might as well go ahead.”

Amber sighed and opened the text.

•             I’ve been unfair to you. I’m sorry.

“What’s wrong? What did she say?”

Amber flipped an impatient hand in his direction and responded quickly, saying everything that she’d wanted to get off her chest for some time now.

•             I let you be unfair to me, she texted back. You have nothing to be sorry for except for the way that you ended it. So now it’s my turn. You’re important to me. You always will be. I let myself be unhappy for too long, and I let you make me unhappy for too long, so I’m not going to do that anymore. I’ll be at your graduation because I’m proud of you, and I love you. I’m going to miss you, but we should have done this a long time ago.

She clutched her phone in her hands, waiting for and dreading a response.

She was almost relieved when one never came.