⸻
Kieran D'Angelo had made one catastrophic mistake.
He had underestimated what isolation did to teenagers.
Especially teenagers in love.
Three days.
Three whole days.
Hanalei had counted every single one.
Three days since school.
Three days since her phone had disappeared.
Three days since she had seen sunlight that wasn't filtered through reinforced glass windows and security checkpoints.
Three days since Dimitri.
The room suddenly felt too small.
Too quiet.
Too expensive.
She hated expensive things now.
Luxury suddenly felt like prison bars dipped in gold.
Hanalei sat cross-legged near the giant bedroom window, staring out at the endless stretch of gardens below. Somewhere outside, guards walked the perimeter.
Always guards.
Always security.
Always watching.
She missed normal.
She missed stupid things.
The cafeteria fries.
Lyra stealing her drinks.
Valerie talking too much.
The stupid school gossip.
Even Saint being annoying.
And Dimitri.
God.
