Rylee Adams

Once, we were everything. Now, we are nothing.

He is Carter Williams. I am Lacey Adams.

We used to be inseparable. The golden couple. The kind of best friends everyone envied, the kind of love story that seemed untouchable. We laughed together, fought together, and, more often than not, loved each other in the only way we knew how-deeply, fiercely, recklessly. We weren’t just close; we were practically one person.

Neighbors since birth, our families intertwined like roots of the same tree. We were raised together, grew up side by side, and when we weren’t best friends, we were something even more. Something fragile. Something that felt like forever.

Until my sixteenth birthday. Until one moment ripped us apart.

The love, the loyalty, the unbreakable bond-it all shattered in a heartbeat. Now, all I have left for Carter is fire and fury. Every time I see him, I burn. Every time I hear his voice, I want to scream. And the worst part? I can’t escape him.

He’s everywhere. Every single class. Every hallway. Even the window of my bedroom, perfectly aligned with his. A constant reminder of everything we lost. But life has a cruel sense of humor.

When my grandmother falls ill, my parents leave town to be by her side-leaving me behind. And where do I have to stay? With Carter. Alone. In one house. Under the same roof.

If I thought I was losing my mind before, I have no idea what I am now. Two ex-best friends. One house. A storm of unspoken words, unresolved feelings, and a past that refuses to stay buried.

A love story gone up in flames-but is there anything left to salvage from the ashes?