Chapter 115

Vanessa climbed up the creaky stairs, clutching the handrail as she went. This old apartment had definitely seen better days-the railing was rusty and broken in parts, and the stairs looked like they could use a full makeover. If it weren't for how decently clean the place was, anyone might assume it had been abandoned. Her destination was the fifth floor, the top level, where her senior Shawn lived. He picked that floor because the attic came with a tiny open-air balcony, perfect for growing a few plants. When writing got frustrating, just zoning out and staring at those green leaves helped calm the nerves. It hadn't been that long since she last saw Shawn, just a few months on the calendar-but to Vanessa, it felt more like lifetimes. And technically, it was-coming back from death would do that to you. She didn't pause the entire way up, the words she might say spinning around in her head nonstop. Should she be honest? Sure, she and Shawn used to get along, and they knew each other fa