Chapter 25 - Sonya

Casey’s lips linger on Jack’s cheek, and I feel like the floor has just dropped out from under me. I stand frozen in the hallway, half-hidden in the shadows, my heart hammering so hard, it’s a miracle they can’t hear it. The way she leans into him, so familiar and comfortable, makes something twist painfully inside me. My breath catches, and I can’t look away even though every instinct is screaming at me to turn around and leave.

Jack doesn’t move at first. He doesn’t push her away, or even flinch. It’s like he’s caught in the moment, and all I can see is the space I thought I’d been filling suddenly shrinking to nothing.

I feel stupid. Blindsided. Just hours ago, Jack and I were tangled together, breathless and making love, and now Casey’s here, fitting herself back into his life like she never left.

I step back, willing myself to be quiet, to not make this any more humiliating than it already is. My hands are trembling, and I press them against my stomach, trying to hold myself together. I need to get out of here before I fall apart completely, before the tears that are burning behind my eyes start to spill over.

Turning away, I make my way down the hallway as quietly as I can, slipping out the back door into the cool night air. It’s sharp against my skin, but I welcome the sting, anything to keep the tears at bay. I don’t look back; I can’t. My mind is racing, a blur of thoughts and hurt that I can’t sort through right now. All I know is that I need space from the scene I just walked in on.

The streets of Green Lake are quiet as I walk. The moon hangs high, covering everything in a silvery glow, and I can’t help but think how different this night was supposed to be. I was supposed to be part of something here, with Jack and Fiona. We were building something real—or at least, I thought we were. Now, all I can feel is the sharp edge of reality cutting through my naive hope.

By the time I reach Piper’s place, my feet ache and my throat is tight from holding back the sobs that have been threatening to break free since I left the house. I knock, and it’s Riley who opens the door, his expression shifting from surprise to concern in an instant.

“Sonya, what’s going on?” he asks, ushering me inside. Lenny is lounging on the couch, but he sits up when he sees me, his easygoing demeanor replaced with something more serious.

“Where’s Piper?” I ask, barely keeping it together.

“She’s with Jane,” Lennie explains. “Sonya, what’s wrong? You look like you’re about to lose your shit.”

“I… I need to go back to Stardust Hollow,” I blurt out. “I can’t stay here.”

Lenny and Riley exchange a quick glance, and Riley’s hand rests gently on my shoulder. “Sonya, are you sure? I mean, we can go, but is that really what you want?”

I nod, even though I’m not sure of anything anymore. “I thought I could make it work here, but… Jack’s got Casey, and they have Fiona. They’re a family, and I’m just the extra piece that doesn’t fit.”

Lenny gets up, his brow furrowed as he steps closer. “Sonya, you’ve done more for Fiona than Casey ever did. Don’t let what you saw make you doubt that.”

I swallow hard, the memory of Casey’s kiss still too fresh, too painful. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t watch them figure it out. I don’t want to be the one standing on the sidelines while they play house.”

Riley gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “If this is really what you want, we’ll take you back. But Sonya, you’ve got to be sure. Running because you’re hurt won’t fix anything.”

“It’s not just that,” I say, but my voice cracks, betraying me. “I need to get out of here. I can’t keep pretending I’m okay with this.”

The tears I’ve been fighting finally break free, and I bury my face in my hands as the sobs wrack through me. Riley and Lenny stay close, their presence a silent support as I crumble. It’s been so long since I’ve let myself feel this way—raw, exposed, vulnerable—and I hate it. I hate that Jack’s done this to me, that Casey’s presence has ripped open all the wounds I thought were healing.

They help me settle onto the couch, Riley draping a blanket over my shoulders while Lenny pours me a glass of water. I sip it slowly, and my tears finally start to slow, though the ache in my chest doesn’t ease.

“We’ll leave in the morning,” Riley says gently. “Just rest for now. We’ve got your back.”

I nod, curling up on the couch as exhaustion pulls me under. Their voices fade into the background, and I let the darkness take me, anything to escape the hurt for just a little while.

When I wake, the sun is barely peeking through the windows. I see Piper and Jane standing over me. When she notices I’m awake, Piper kneels beside me, brushing a stray tear that’s already sliding down my cheek. “Riley told us what’s going on. Are you really going to leave?”

Jane sits down next to me. “Sonya, you don’t have to do this. You have a place here, with us, with Jack and Fiona. Don’t throw that away because of one moment.”

“I don’t belong here,” I whisper, my voice hoarse from crying. “I thought I did, but I was wrong.”

Piper squeezes my hand, her eyes filled with understanding. “You’re not wrong, Sonya. You’ve been everything Fiona needs, everything Jack needs, too. Don’t let Casey coming back make you think you’re less.”

“But she’s Fiona’s mother,” I say, my voice breaking. “She has a right to be here. And if Jack wants to make it work with her, I can’t stand in the way. I can’t keep getting hurt.”

Jane wraps her arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. “Whatever you decide, we’re with you. But Sonya, don’t leave thinking you don’t matter. Because you do.”

I nod, and the tears well up again. “I just… I need to go. I can’t be here, watching them get back together. I thought Jack and I were building something, but now… now I don’t know.”

Piper strokes my hair. “If you need to leave, we’ll support you. But promise me you won’t forget that you’re loved here, no matter what.”

I try to smile, but it’s weak, shaky. “I just need to get away,” I whisper. “Let’s go early. I don’t want to drag this out.”

They nod, and their silent acceptance is more comforting than I expected. As we load into Piper’s car, I try not to think about Jack, about the way he kissed me like I was the only thing that mattered. Because it doesn’t change anything. Not when Casey is back in the picture.

I take one last look at Piper’s place. My heart is heavy with the finality of it all. It’s not the ending I wanted, but it’s the only way I know how to protect myself. I climb into the car, and the engine rumbles to life beneath me. I watch as the familiar streets of Green Lake fade into the distance.

Every mile we put between us feels like a step closer to safety, but the ache in my chest doesn’t ease. I don’t know what’s waiting for me in Stardust Hollow, but anything feels better than staying here with a broken heart.