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else does in this family. But I can’t. Not now, anyway.”
    Her mother’s mouth puckered. “Fine. Have it your way, Caelyn.” She turned and shut the door.
    Moments later, Caelyn could hear them murmuring and talking in low, almost secretive voices. Deena sounded like she was consoling them.
    Caelyn thought about the evidence she possessed, something that would completely change the way her parents saw Deena. And not for the better.
    The urge to tell them everything grew and grew until she nearly burst.
    Not yet , the little voice whispered inside her.
    It’s not time yet.

    When? How long do I have to wait before I see her paid back for what she did to him?
    Soon. Soon.
    ***
    Caelyn continued to sit in front of the window a long time, as the shadows lengthened outside, she stared out at the empty street, thinking about Elijah and the past.
    Thinking about how things might have been different.
    But they weren’t different. And she was stuck.
    Eventually, fatigue overtook her, and Caelyn crawled back into bed, curling up into a ball and drifting as darkness and shadow overtook her.
    When she was close to sleep, the visions of Elijah became clearer, more vivid.
    She held onto her visions, and the pleasure that came with seeing him again.
    Even hearing him.
    His mouth twisting up into that oh so familiar grin. “Hey kid, why so glum?”
    “I just miss you,” she told him. “Don’t go anywhere. Stay with me, promise?”
    “Why would I go anywhere?”
    “This isn’t real and I don’t want to wake up.”
    Elijah came closer still. “It is real,” he said, reaching out and caressing her cheek with his hand. She could smell soap and when she took his hand and pressed it to her lips, it was just as he said. It felt completely real.
    Why couldn’t this be real ? She asked herself.
    Because, you’re dreaming.
    “Don’t lose faith in me,” Elijah said, leaning so close that their lips were practically touching. His eyes stared into hers. “I’ll never stop thinking about you, so if you don’t stop thinking about me—our minds will be like one.”
    “I hope so,” she cried.
    “Don’t be sad, Caelyn.”
    “I miss your voice. I miss you touching me. I can’t be away from you for so long. When will you come back?”
    “How do you know I’m not back already?” he said.
    “Because, Elijah, you’re in jail.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes.”
    “Your phone’s ringing,” he said.
    “No, it’s not.”
    “Listen.” He chuckled.
    Her phone was, in fact, buzzing. She heard it distinctly. But it wasn’t buzzing in the dream. She knew it was really happening. “I don’t want to wake up, Elijah.”
    “You are awake,” he said.
    And then she did in fact snap awake, her eyes opening suddenly, staring up at the ceiling. Caelyn’s breath caught in her throat. The dream had felt so incredibly real that it was like losing Elijah all over again.
    She turned to see her phone sitting on the nightstand beside her bed, vibrating against her clock. She grabbed at it, fumbling.
    It was a text from an unknown number.
    Is your light on?
    She stared at her phone as if it had spoken to her. Her mind scrambled for a reason why the text message said what it said. That was the same text Elijah had sent her when he’d come to her house last time.
    The next text said: Second window on the left?
    Now she was sure it was Deena playing some cruel joke. Her heart was racing as she texted back.
    Who is this? Who are you? Deena?
    But she didn’t see how Deena could have known about Elijah’s texts to her. It didn’t make any sense.
    I couldn’t stay away , the anonymous messenger replied.
    This was simply too bizarre. Whoever it was, they were recycling the conversation word for word that Elijah and Caelyn had had in the past. Maybe it was some jerky cop who’d gotten ahold of Elijah’s cell phone.
    She got up and went to the window, certain that she’d look out and see nothing but the cold hard glow of that lone