The Awakening — Episode 5

I pressed both hands over my face and let out a muffled scream. I slid down to the floor and buried my face in my arms. The next day, I snapped my old SIM card in half and got a new one. I'd just graduated high school.

College didn't start for another month. One month of total freedom. So I bought a Greyhound ticket and left the city. Alone.

No destinations. Whichever bus was cheapest. That's the one I took. Stayed at a hostel in Portland.

Spent a night at a shelter in Seattle. Most days, I lived on free refill coffee at diners and microwaved burritos from gas Every now and then, I'd text some friends back home. That's how I heard about Ryder.

They said he was going crazy trying to find me. After that night, Ryder searched the mountain for two straight days. Then someone filmed him at a bar downtown. Wasted.

Wrecked. Barely recognizable as the Ashford Air. The video went everywhere. I didn't know what kind of act he was putting on.

Whatever it was, it was too late. A month later, I came back. I'd just stepped out of a cab when I saw Kyle leaning against a Lamborghini. We'd stayed in touch the whole time.

I still owed him one after all. He straightened up when he saw me. Time to pay up, Nora Collins. My chest tightened.

What do you want? Be my girlfriend. What? My father's been a little too interested in my love life lately.

I need him to back off. You're going to help me with that.