Chapter 5

Chelsea Hardy POV:

Holden and Kamryn's laughter drifted up from downstairs, a constant, irritating hum that vibrated through the floorboards. Kamryn stayed in his room that night, their hushed whispers and occasional giggles a torment to my sleepless mind. My stomach churned, a bitter mix of envy and nausea.

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, counting the hours until my flight. Five hours. Four. Three. Each tick of the clock was a step closer to freedom, and a lifetime further from him. My head throbbed, a dull ache pulsing behind my eyes, a souvenir from another sleepless night.

I was physically and emotionally drained. The past few days had been a brutal exercise in emotional purging. I had systematically removed every trace of Holden from my existence, both physical and digital. My room, once a chaotic explosion of fabric and sketches inspired by him, now felt sterile, empty. The silence was deafening, a stark contrast to the constant noise of my internal turmoil.

Holden and Kamryn had been out almost constantly, a whirlwind of engagement party planning, social media updates, and blissful public appearances. Their happiness, broadcast for the world to see, was a constant, searing reminder of my own quiet devastation. Our paths had diverged completely. He was too consumed by his new life to notice the gaping hole I was about to leave in his old one. And I was too numb to care.

My alarm finally chimed, a welcome intrusion. It was time.

I slid out of bed, my body stiff and aching. There was no more time for wallowing. Only action. I showered quickly, the hot water a temporary reprieve from the cold ache inside. As I dressed, I caught a glimpse of my reflection. My platinum hair was a stark halo, framing a face that looked entirely unfamiliar. Gaunt. Determined. Empty.

The graduation party was tonight. A final farewell to my friends, a last goodbye to this suffocating town. I debated skipping it, but a stubborn part of me refused to let Holden's presence dictate my last hours here.

When I arrived, the air was thick with laughter, music, and the smell of cheap beer. My friends, familiar faces in an unfamiliar landscape, greeted me with hugs and excited chatter. They pressed plastic cups into my hand, filled with a fizzing, amber liquid.

"To us, Chels!" Sarah, my oldest friend, cheered. "To new beginnings!"

I forced a smile, raising my cup. "To new beginnings," I echoed, the words tasting like ash.

I drank, quickly. The bitter liquid burned my throat, then settled into a dull warmth in my stomach. I wanted to feel something other than this crushing emptiness. I wanted to forget. For just a few hours.

After the third drink, a pleasant haze began to settle over me. The music seemed louder, the laughter more genuine. A dizzying lightness took hold. I felt detached, floating above the noise, observing myself from a distance.

"I need some air," I mumbled to Sarah, stepping away from the milling crowd.

The night air was cool, a welcome relief from the stifling heat of the party. I walked aimlessly, letting the breeze caress my face, trying to clear the fog in my head. That's when I saw him.

Holden.

He was standing under a cluster of fairy lights, surrounded by a group of admirers, his head thrown back in laughter. He looked effortlessly charming, charismatic, the center of attention. Just as he always was. And just as I always was, I was on the periphery, watching him.

A sharp pain, like a shard of glass, pierced through my chest. I tried to avert my gaze, to turn away, to dissolve into the shadows. But my feet felt rooted to the spot, my eyes drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

"Did you hear?" a voice whispered, close by. Two girls, their heads close together, giggled. "Holden broke it off with Kamryn! Can you believe it?"

My head snapped towards them, the haze of alcohol instantly dissolving. "What?" The word was a raw gasp.

"Yeah!" the other girl confirmed, eyes wide. "Apparently, she went a little crazy trying to get him to talk to Chelsea, and he just snapped. Said he couldn't handle her insecurity. And that it wasn't his responsibility to manage Chelsea anymore."

My world tilted. He broke off the engagement? Because of me? A flicker of hope, foolish and dangerous, ignited in my chest, a desperate, dying ember. But then, the rest of the sentence echoed: It wasn't his responsibility to manage Chelsea anymore.

His words, not theirs. I knew his voice. The dismissal, the cold detachment.

The fragile hope died, leaving behind a bitter aftertaste. Not because of love. Because he was tired of my perceived "drama." Because he was tired of me. He was cutting me loose. Again. Not for me. But for him.

A wave of nausea washed over me, stronger this time. The alcohol, the emotional whiplash-it was too much.

No, I thought, a desperate, clear thought cutting through the haze. He never loved me. He only loved controlling me. He only loved being worshiped by me.

The realization was like a splash of icy water. He hadn't been protecting me. He'd been possessive. He hadn't been encouraging my dreams. He'd been shaping them to fit his narrative. He hadn't loved me. He'd owned me.

And now, he was simply shedding an old skin.

The clarity was brutal. Unforgiving. And utterly liberating.

I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. My head swam. I needed to get away. Now.

Just as I turned to leave, a hand landed on my arm. A firm grip. I froze, my heart leaping into my throat.

Holden.

He stood there, his eyes, usually so sharp, clouded with something I couldn't quite decipher. Concern? Pity? Regret? "Chelsea? Are you alright? You look terrible."

He reached out, his hand gently touching my cheek. The familiar warmth, the ghost of a tenderness from years ago, sent a shiver down my spine. My body reacted before my mind could catch up, leaning into his touch, a desperate, ingrained reflex.

"I..." My voice was a croak. I wanted to say so many things. I'm leaving. I'm going to Parsons. I'm finally free.

But then, a sweet, lilting voice cut through the air, shattering the fragile moment. "H., darling! There you are!"

Kamryn.

She emerged from the shadows, her eyes sparkling, a wide, triumphant smile on her face. She rushed towards Holden, throwing her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his lips. "I was looking for you everywhere! Why did you sneak off without me?"

Holden's arm, still around her waist, tightened. His eyes, which had held that unreadable emotion, now focused solely on Kamryn, softening. He gave her a tender smile. "Just getting some air, darling. And I found Chelsea looking a bit unwell."

Kamryn glanced at me, her smile faltering for a fraction of a second, then quickly reappearing, brighter than before. "Oh, Chelsea. Are you alright? You do look a little green around the gills. Perhaps too much punch?"

She leaned into Holden, whispering loudly enough for me to hear, "She always was so fragile, wasn't she, H.?"

Holden chuckled, a deep, resonant sound that once filled my world with warmth. He picked Kamryn up effortlessly, an easy, intimate gesture. "Come on, princess. Let's get you home. You look tired."

He carried her away, her head nestled against his shoulder, her eyes fixed on me, a smug, victorious glint in their depths. They walked off, his arm still around her, leaving me standing there, alone, in the fading fairy lights.

I stood there for a long time, the cool night air chilling me to the bone. My head was clear now, the alcohol's haze completely gone, replaced by a cold, hard certainty. No hope. No love. Just a deep, aching emptiness.

"Chelsea? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Sarah's voice, laced with concern, broke through my stupor.

I hadn't even realized I was crying. Tears streamed down my face, hot and silent. I quickly wiped them away, forcing a shaky smile. "Nothing, Sarah. Just too much punch, I guess. I'm fine."

"But... you look so sad," she insisted, her brow furrowed. "And I just saw Holden leave with Kamryn. What happened? I thought he broke up with her?"

"He did," I said, my voice flat. "But then he changed his mind, I guess."

Sarah sighed. "Oh, Chels. I'm so sorry. I know how much you always admired him. He was always so good to you, always looking out for you." She squeezed my arm. "I remember when he first moved in, he was always so protective. Like a big brother. You two were inseparable."

The words felt like a fresh wound. Big brother. Inseparable. The past, idealized and distorted by memory, was a cruel contrast to the present.

"We grew up, Sarah," I said, my voice devoid of emotion. "People change. We both have our own lives now."

"Still..." she trailed off, a wistful look on her face. "It's a shame. You two had such a special bond."

A special bond. An illusion. A gilded cage.

"It was what it was," I said, a profound weariness settling over me. "Fate, I suppose."

The party eventually wound down. I bid my friends goodbye, each hug feeling like a farewell to a part of myself. As I stepped out, the rain had started again, a soft drizzle turning into a steady downpour.

Then I saw them. Holden and Kamryn, waiting in his car, parked just down the street. Kamryn, her head on his shoulder, was looking at me with a smirk.

Holden rolled down the window, his expression grim. "Chelsea! Where have you been? We've been waiting for you. Get in, I'll drive you home." His tone was sharp, a reprimand.

"I'm fine," I said, pulling my jacket tighter against the rain. "I'll walk."

"Don't be ridiculous," he snapped. "It's pouring. Get in the car, Chelsea."

Kamryn leaned over, a syrupy-sweet smile on her face. "Oh, H., she's probably just embarrassed. You know how she gets. Don't worry, Chelsea, we don't mind. We're used to you tagging along." She giggled. "Come on. It'll be fun. A little family drive."

My blood ran cold. Tagging along. Family drive. The old dynamic, reasserting itself even at the very end.

I wanted to scream. To tell them I was done. That I was leaving. That I would never "tag along" again.

But I remained silent. I just looked at Holden, then at Kamryn, then back at Holden. His face was a mask of irritation tinged with impatience.

"Fine," I said, my voice barely a whisper. I opened the back door and slid in, the cold, wet fabric of my dress sticking to the leather seat.

Holden pulled away, the tires splashing through puddles. Kamryn, in the front seat, began to hum a cheerful tune.

The rain intensified. I shivered, feeling a chill deep in my bones. Holden reached over, taking a blanket from the back seat and draping it over Kamryn's shoulders. "You'll catch a cold, princess," he murmured, his voice soft, tender.

I watched, a silent observer in the backseat. He used to do that for me. Tucking me in, covering me with a blanket when I fell asleep on the couch. That was a lifetime ago. A different Holden, a different Chelsea.

Now, I was just a wet, miserable passenger, forgotten in the back. The rain ran down the windows, mirroring the tears that pricked at my own eyes. But I wouldn't cry. Not anymore.

This was it. The final, undeniable proof. He would never choose me. He never had.

I had to be strong. I had to let go. And I had to save myself.