Page 126 of No Need to Run
But I just say, “I think so.”
He studies me for a beat longer, then nods once. “Alright.”
I pullinto the driveway and kill the engine, staring at the house. Something in my chest tightens.
“This is it?” Ivy asks from the backseat.
“Yeah.”
It looks… exactly how I remember.
Overgrown grass. Shutters that have seen better days. A place that needs work.
But still... It’s mine.
Ivy’s gaze sweeps over everything like she’s assessing a project. “Oh, I love it.”
I blink. “You do?”
“Are you kidding?” she asks, already walking toward the house. “This has so much potential.”
Sebastian joins me, his expression more reserved. “It’s quiet.”
“Yeah.”
Too quiet.
I ignore that thought.
I step up to the door and unlock it. I hesitate before pushing it open.
The house is still.
A faint chill settles over my skin.
Ivy walks in like she’s been invited a hundred times before, already heading toward the living room.
“Oh, this is a good space,” she says. “You can do so much with this.”
I follow her in, watching as she moves through the room.
Sebastian lingers near the doorway, taking it in.
“I mean, the floors are great,” Ivy continues, slowly spinning around. “You just need to clean, maybe repaint?—”
She stops suddenly.
“What?” I ask.
She turns slightly, squinting toward the front window. “Did someone draw on that?”
My stomach tightens at the thought of what she sees.
The light catches the glass—just enough to reveal the faint heart.
I step forward quickly, rubbing my hand over it. Dust smears beneath my palm. The shape disappears.
“It’s just dirt,” I say.
