XX

On the day of the infamous pool party, Pamela and Jonah took Odette out for pizza. It was a small place in town that was too cold and served their pizzas a little too hot, but the Sinclairs didn’t mind all that much.

Odette had hardly heard anything from Grayson since their phone conversation, which had been almost a full week now. She was worried, picking up her phone and checking it every two seconds in case he had messaged. She had tried to and he would respond, but only with one or two words.

The bell at the diner door tinkled and drew her away from her upsetting thoughts. Zeke was there along with Greer who looked like she wished she was with anyone else.

“Oh hey, dude!” Zeke called over cheerfully.

“Zeke, hey.” Odette stood up from her seat and went over to great the two of them even if Greer was her least favorite person in the world. “Hi, Greer.”

The female twin hugged Odette tightly. “I’m glad to see that you’re up and doing great, Grayson has been so worried about you. He’s actually been very depressed this past week because of it. I hope you come to the party; you’ll be able to cheer him up. Or Nadia, maybe. Or someone else, so long as they have a feminine touch.”

Odette took half a step back. Was she really insinuating what she thought she was? No, she was just doing it to get under her skin. Grayson wouldn’t betray her.

“I’ll try my best.”

Greer smirked. “That’s right, because you have to listen to what Mommy and Daddy say like the good little girl you are.”

She had had enough. “Greer, do we have a problem? ‘Cause if we do, don’t just insult me, say it to my face like a woman.” Odette crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes.

The girl looked surprised for half of a second, her lips parting slightly. Greer being Greer, however, recovered from it quickly and smiled slyly. “No problem. I hope I see you later. For Grayson’s sake.”

Odette couldn’t believe that was the same girl who had been so excited for Grayson to ask her on a date. The same girl who had dressed her up and paraded her in front of her brother in order to get her to come and chase them down.

Zeke, apparently, had gathered the pizzas in the time it took for Greer to verbally assault Odette, so the two were out the door just as quick as they came in.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” her mother asked, coming over to her side.

Odette didn’t particularly care if she had heard what Greer said. It was over with anyway. “Mom, I need to go to the Mages today. It’s important.”

The argument with her parents lasted the whole way home but she won by saying that she was concerned about Grayson. Odette told them half of what Greer had told her, which had gotten her all fired up and ready to pick a fight with her if the occasion should arise. Her parents didn’t say anything but their faces showed their skepticism of their daughter beating that girl in a fight.

Odette didn’t text Grayson to tell him she was going. She wanted him to be surprised. Plus, if there was even the smallest chance that Grayson would cheat on her, she would catch him. She, however, really doubted it.

Her dad volunteered to drive her over to the Mages’ residence once she changed and had everything she needed.

“I know this isn’t what you guys wanted,” Odette stated, “but thank you.”

Pamela gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek before she left. “I hope everything works out.”

“Let’s get going,” said Jonah.

He led his daughter out the front door and started up the car. Even though it was a short ride to their neighbor’s house, Odette was already too hot. She regretted wearing her zip up hoodie.

The gates were open and there were many cars inside. Odette was shocked; she didn’t know Greer had that many friends. Probably fake ones, though.

“Thanks, Dad.” Odette kissed his cheek and slid out of the car.

Jonah pointed his finger at her. “Be safe. I mean it.”

“Of course. I’ll see you later.”

Jonah didn’t pull out of the driveway until Odette was at the front door. She knocked and squared her shoulders. She could do this; she was only there for her boyfriend anyway. It would be an added bonus if she could shove his sister into the deep end.

Zeke opened the door—as expected by this point. “Oh hey. Fun seeing you two times in a day. You want me to take you to the backyard?”

“Actually,” Odette said with an embarrassed smile. “Could you take me to Grayson? Unless he’s already there.”

The man chuckled, nodding his head. “Yeah, totally. Maybe you can cheer him up. The guy’s been really down lately. I think he’s been worried about you. You’re feeling better, right?”

“Yeah, it was just a bad virus. I tend to hold on to sickness a little longer than most people.” Odette tugged on the sleeves of her hoodie, the chill of the mansion seeping into her skin.

“Sorry to hear about that, dude.”

Zeke led her up what felt like a hundred flights of stairs. She held onto the railing, breathing as quietly through her nose as she could. Any second now, her lungs would explode.

They went past Greer’s room, which was oddly quiet. She was probably already outside anyway. She looked away quickly, that room giving her a bad feeling. At the end of the hall, there was a room with a light on. Zeke stopped at this one, glancing back at Odette to make sure she was okay. He knocked on the door a few times.

“What is it?” Grayson snapped from the other side of the door.

Zeke didn’t take offense to it. “I have someone who is here to see you.”

“Tell them to go away.”

Zeke opened his mouth but Odette put her hand on his arm to stop him. “Mages, is that how you greet your girlfriend?”

She could actually hear him tripping over himself to get to the door. It swung open seconds later and a semi-haggard Grayson was staring at her with wide eyes. She yanked him down to her level, disregarding Zeke, and planted a kiss on his lips.

“Surprise, babe.”

“You didn’t tell me you were coming.” Grayson sounded shaken up. He was still standing by his door, pacing.

Odette was sitting down at his desk, trying to look as casual as possible. “Did you not want me to?”

“No—hey, it’s not like that and you know it. I thought you were still being kept from me.” He ruffled his hair awkwardly. It was odd to see him so flustered. He was always so calm and put together but, in here, he looked like any other teenage boy.

Odette glanced at the deep purple cape that was draped over a hanger. “I ran into your sister at the pizza place in town. Fair warning, I may fight her if she provokes me again.”

Grayson didn’t outwardly doubt Odette but it was obvious in the half second before he processed her words.

“What did she do?” He was by her side in an instant. He knelt to the floor and grabbed her hands. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. She was just … I don’t want to say ‘threatening,’ but she was warning me that, if I didn’t show up tonight, someone else would make a move on you … in a way …”

His concern melted away to something akin to annoyance. “And you believed her? If you hadn’t told me it was you, I wouldn’t have even let you inside. What makes you think that any other girl would be able to get in?”

“Because it was Greer who told me,” Odette fired back. “And despite what you may say about you two not wanting to be family, she still knows you ‘cause she’s your sister.”

Before Odette knew it, he was kissing her. Grayson was rising up from his knees, so he could lean over her even more, pressing her against the back of the chair. She released his hands and locked them around his neck automatically. It was a painful kiss, their noses were bumping against one another roughly, but it didn’t matter.

Odette pulled back, her mouth tasting like iron even though she knew she wasn’t bleeding. “Was that your way of telling me to ‘shut up’?”

“More or less,” he replied. “You think too much and you worry too much. But I am thankful that Greer convinced you to find a way to break out of your house. I was going crazy. Being kept away from you is like a nightmare.”

The girl giggled, shaking her head. “You’re so dramatic. Are you sure you weren’t meant to be a performer?”

“You mock my pain.” He placed a hand over his heart. “I mean what I say. I was ready to run to you and steal you out of that house. Now that you’re here, I don’t think I’ll let you go.”

“You don’t have to.” Odette kissed his cheek, standing up from his chair.

“And don’t think that I’m letting you go down there. I don’t want those other boys to see you in your swimsuit,” he ordered.

Odette snickered to herself, her hand skimming over his cape. “If I don’t go down there then you don’t get to see it either.”

Grayson’s eyebrows furrowed and he blinked. It was several seconds later that he pouted. “Fine. Only after it gets dark, though. And you’ll stay by my side the whole time. I don’t want those idiots to get grabby.”

“Look, I’m you!” Odette beamed, disregarding his words. She had his cape on her shoulders now and she struck a dramatic pose that he would do. “It smells like you too.”

Although he was agitated that she was changing the subject, Grayson smiled at her. “You look better in it than me.”

“That’s a lie if I’ve ever heard one. No one looks better than you in a cape.” She smoothed out the ends of it to make sure that it was laying on her correctly.

“Except you.”

Odette played with the ties, making sure they sat properly on her shoulders. “Will you be my lovely assistant?” She winked at him playfully and extended her hand to him.

“Okay then.” Grayson took her hand and twirled her around and, when she stopped, she was facing the mirror with her back against his chest. He placed his palm on the back of her hand and lifted her hand so she was palm up. Grayson looked into her eyes through the mirror and moved, so his mouth was near her ear. “Concentrate.”

Odette nodded dutifully, her eyes flicking between his and her open palm. Eventually, he looked away and only focused on their hands. She took his cue and did the same, holding her breath.

Warmth circled around hers, not the warmth that she was used to from Grayson’s body heat though. Blue and silver wisps rose from his palm and wove over hers. It never actually touched her skin like it did Grayson’s. It took her several seconds to realize that it was actually fire.

She was caught between yanking her hand away in fear and staying completely still. Odette didn’t want to mess up his trick and hurt him.

“It’s beautiful,” she said hoarsely.

Grayson’s nose nudged against her. “Don’t be afraid of it. I won’t let it hurt you. Just trust me.” “I do.”

The flame grew larger and it swayed back and forth teasingly. Odette had the strange desire to touch it but she resisted. Even if it was magic fire, fire still burned.

Grayson’s fingers twitched against hers and the fire receded back into his hand. Her skin was a light shade of pink from being so close to the heat, but it didn’t hurt. It was actually a nice change to the mansion’s cold atmosphere.

“What else can you do?” she asked curiously.

The hand that was on the bottom of hers came up, so he was holding it. Her first thought was, Great, an excuse to be cheesy, but soon she felt something inside of her palm. Something that most definitely wasn’t a part of Grayson.

He pulled his hand away to reveal the head of a blue rose. It bloomed right before her eyes, the petals tickling her skin with their softness. When Odette looked closer, she could see that the tips of the rose were purple and they almost seemed to sparkle in the light.

“Wow,” was all she could say.

Grayson smirked, a breathy chuckle leaving his lips. “I’m glad that you like it.”

“Thank you,” she said. Odette held it close to her chest and turned her head to look at him.

“Anything for my princess.” He kissed her slowly, trying to make up for the rough treatment earlier. “You’re my princess, remember that.”

Neither of them were very keen on actually joining the party but Grayson had to, at least for a little bit, because of keeping appearances. He was more than happy to just have Odette locked up in his room while he stood in a corner for five minutes, and even told her so, but Odette insisted on coming down.

“Why do you guys have two pools?” she asked him.

“My sister and I were in swimming for a while. In the colder months, when we couldn’t use the outdoor one, we used the indoor one.” He shrugged his shoulders, holding her hand firmly. “You don’t plan on getting in, do you?”

Odette made a face. “I’d rather not be an easier target for being drowned again.”

“She can’t do anything if I’m by your side,” he assured.

He was actually wearing shorts for once, which was strange for Odette. They were a mauve color and he wore a grey T-shirt over that. His amulet was on a leather cord and he wore it like a necklace. He looked very uncomfortable and he didn’t bother to cover it up. His pout was enough to dampen Odette’s mood.

“I don’t like these things,” he said out of nowhere. “Too many people, people our age that is. Screaming girls. People who want pictures.”

Odette nodded in understanding. “So, Greer invites random fans?”

“No. She invites ‘friends’ and other people who give me a headache. If we invited random fans to our house, they would never leave.” He shuddered in disgust.

Grayson led her down the main stairs and then behind them where the door to the backyard was apparently. Odette’s eyebrows shot up when the door opened, the noise alarming her.

Music was playing at a loud enough level but the people there were screaming. It was an infestation of fake tans and neon bathing suits. Even in the fading light, it was pretty blinding.

Greer was—as expected—in the middle of all the action. Her bikini matched Grayson’s swim trunks and her hair was pulled up into a bun. Nadia and Bonnie flanked both of her sides and they were surrounded by a fourth of the guests.

Beside her, Odette could hear Grayson swearing about something or another while he looked in the opposite direction. His hand tightened around her fingers, so she squeezed back to give him comfort.

“Let’s go over here.” He tugged her over to a less populated area of the lawn. There were a few guys with their phones out, chatting about whatever. One girl was crying while her best friend consoled her.

“What is this party for anyway?” Odette asked, looking around the yard. She didn’t think that there were even this many teenagers in Sunwick Grove. Some of them must have been from out of town.

“Our birthday,” Grayson admitted.

Odette spun around and pointed an accusatory finger at him. “It’s your birthday and you didn’t tell me!”

“No, our birthday was at the end of May. We had to keep canceling the party, so here we are.” He huffed. “It isn’t that big of a deal.”

“I wish you would have told me. I could have gotten you something.”

He shook his head slightly. “I don’t want anything.”

“Too bad, life isn’t fair.” Odette stuck out her tongue. But, really, what could she get the boy who had everything?

Grayson had a strange look on his face. “I would want you to stay with me forever.”

Her face began to heat up. She wanted to say that it was too soon to be thinking about forever, that anything could happen in the future … but he made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside when he said that. Forever with Grayson? Realistically …

No, I don’t want to be realistic right now. I just want to enjoy right now.

“Yeah … me too,” she said softly. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he didn’t hear her over the loud music and the shouting but he did. She could tell by the way that his face brightened, even in the dark.

“Brother!” Greer sang, catching both of their attention. She had a parade of people behind her but either she didn’t notice them or she didn’t care. “There you are! And … Odette. You, brother, have a lot of people to greet. It’s your party too.”

“I think Zeke greeted them for me.” Grayson pulled Odette closer to his side by her hip.

The action didn’t go unnoticed by Greer. She scanned them both, her eyes cold. “You two look cozy.”

Grayson wasn’t amused. “She is my girlfriend, sister.”

The crowd of people started whispering. Didn’t they already know that Grayson had a girlfriend? He hadn’t been very discreet, not when he started putting stuff on his social media. Maybe the fans were in denial about it. Odette received a few ugly looks from the girls.

“Well, don’t just stand there and mope in a corner. Join the party.” Greer wasn’t giving him much room to refuse. Everyone knew he was outside now and she was dragging him away. Grayson wouldn’t let go of Odette, so she was forced to go with them.

Greer was not a fan of that. She took her brother on a lap around the pool, which happened to be the size of a large lake. They said hello to everyone it seemed and, with each person, Grayson’s hand became tighter and tighter.

They had almost completed a full circle, or rectangle, around the pool when Odette felt something wedge itself between her ankles. She stumbled forward, her hand yanking free from Grayson’s, and she tumbled towards the hard ground.

A pair of hands caught her. “Are you okay, doll?”

She looked up to see a guy with short blond hair. Not Grayson. “Um, yeah, I think so. Thanks—” her sentence died in her throat when a familiar hand landed on her hip. She was instantly jerked away from the male and into her protective boyfriend’s arms.

“She’s fine.” Grayson answered, his tone dark. He glared at the man—who was most likely older than him and yet obviously intimidated—until he backed away and left them alone. “Who did he think he was?”

“He helped me. I was falling,” she scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Grayson rolled his eyes. “No, he’s been watching you all night, princess. The guy thought he had a shot, so he took it.”

Sure, she thought sarcastically. That’s some sound logic.

He glared at her, sending her a message that said, “Don’t push my buttons.”

She shrank back, wondering why he was so irritable. He must really hate parties.

“Come here.”

Odette made a face, “I’m right next to you.”

“Come. Here.” He was scary calm but his eyes were blazing.

She shuffled closer by two inches, her arm pressed against his chest. Grayson rolled his eyes and wove his arms around her waist. Her arms were pinned to her sides and she was immobilized. Grayson bent her back and planted a kiss on her lips. Her eyes were open the whole time, staring into his. She silently asked him what he was doing and why he was doing it in front of all of those people. He only held her tighter.

Grayson wasn’t trying to crush her into him or suck her soul out—no, this was possessive. This was him telling the others to back off if they were even tempted to approach. He was staking his claim.

When the two finally broke apart, Odette could feel the blood rushing to her face. Him and his stupid possessiveness. Grayson stood her upright, stepping back. In the dim lights, she could see how flushed he got. Odette wasn’t any better—if anything, she was worse. She also felt too sweaty but she wouldn’t dare step foot in that pool.

“I’ll never allow other guys to be around you,” he said quietly. “Just get used to it.”

Odette didn’t think he had left her much of a choice,

Grayson wrapped his arms around her. “Do you want to go back inside? There isn’t anyone I want to talk to.”

“I don’t know. I think I have to go home soon. I don’t want my parents to worry too much,” Odette said, holding him back.

He tensed beneath her fingers. “Don’t leave me yet. Please. I don’t want to give you up again.”

She couldn’t help it, she laughed. His words were stupidly childish. “Don’t worry. We’ll get together soon. I promise. It’s just my parents are protective of me. Yeah, it can be stupid and annoying and frustrating at times, but they care. They want to make sure that I’m safe.”

Grayson shook his head, the action shaking his whole body. “But what if one day they wanted us to break up? What if they tried to keep us apart again?”

“Grayson … are you okay?” It was really obvious that he wasn’t. “Why are you so scared I’m going to leave you?”

“Because that’s all everyone does. They all leave. My parents, any … any friends that I ever made. They all left me. If you were to leave me too, I don’t know what I would do. I’m at my breaking point, Odette,” he breathed, holding onto her for support.

Odette forced herself out of his arms, looking over his face. He didn’t look well. He was a little too flushed and his eyes were heavily dilated. “Let’s get you inside. I’ll text my parents that I’ll be here a few more minutes, okay? Come on.”

Grayson seemed to relax a little more when she took him by the hand and led him to the door. She didn’t exactly remember the way back to his room but she knew that he would help her. She had her hand on the door knob when she heard some shouts. Odette turned around and saw a group of people pointing in the same direction.

“There’s a fire!” some girl screamed.

A fire? Had one of the tiki torches fallen over?

Odette whipped her head around and looked where everyone was pointing. Her heart caught in her throat. She didn’t know how she could have missed it before. Some distance away the woods were on fire as orange flames licked the dusk sky and a smoke stack several stories tall towered over the trees.

“Oh my God!” Odette cried. She took off running without a second thought. Her home was over there. “Mom! Dad!”

She could hear people exclaiming in horror as she ran from the party and towards the raging fire. They grabbed at her but she shoved past them and sprinted down the street. The thong of her flip-flops dug between her toes painfully, so she threw them somewhere in the woods but she didn’t look back.

The smell of the smoke got thicker the closer to her house she got. The brilliant light nearly blinded her. They had to have gotten out of the house. Their room was on the first floor and it wasn’t like there would be anything to get in their way. It was still early in the night too, so they would have been awake. These thoughts comforted her as she sprinted. They would be waiting on the lawn or in the street for the fire department to show up. They might be a little dirty from escaping their burning house, but they would be fine. After all, they were her parents. They were always fine.

Trees around her were on fire. It was a bizarre version of the home she had come to know. Instead of the cool tones of the trees and the house itself, it was all oranges and reds, turning the white of the house brown. She could make out the side of the house that was supposed to hold her room, the glass shattering from her window and scattering onto the grass. The heat was nearly unbearable and she brought her hand up to protect her face.

“Mom! Dad!” Odette screamed again. They weren’t on the lawn or on the street. “MOM! DAD!”

Glass shattered from an upstairs window, the sound startling her. If they weren’t outside, where were they? Had they gone out for the evening? No. Both cars were in the driveway. Her throat constricted painfully and she huffed and wheezed as more smoke blew into her lungs. Odette ripped off her hoodie and used it to cover her head and her mouth as she raced for the front door. It was suicidal; the house was teetering on the edge and on the verge of collapsing.

She shoved her body against the door, the weakened hinges giving away instantly and smacking onto her burning living room floor. A large plume of the flames erupted from close to the kitchen, blowing towards her.

“MO—AHHH! NO! STOP! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Odette beat against the person’s arms.

They were wrapped tightly around her torso and had her hoisted up in the air. More smoke blew into her face and she coughed and sputtered but it didn’t hinder her fighting.

“LET ME GO! I NEED TO FIND MY PARENTS!” Odette screeched, twisting and kicking wildly.

“Odette, stop it! I won’t let you go in there!” It was Grayson. Of course it was him. He probably took off after her when she left him at the party.

“BUT THEY COULD BE STUCK INSIDE!” She was hysterical. She couldn’t think straight or see clearly, all of the cells in her body were urging her to elbow Grayson in the stomach and run back inside.

“That isn’t your problem! You go in there and you die too!” Grayson shook her for emphasis, to help her gain perspective.

You die too.

Odette sobbed loudly, her nails tearing at his bad arm in hopes of gaining some leverage. “SOMEONE NEEDS TO SAVE THEM! I NEED TO SAVE THEM! IF YOU DON’T LET ME GO, I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!”

Grayson ignored her words. “Maybe they got out. Maybe they got to another house.” But both of them knew that, had her parents gotten out, they would have gone to the Mages. They didn’t know anyone else.

“MOM!” she screamed again, hoping that she might hear something from the inside. “DAD!”

The crackling fire taunted Odette as it flicked back and forth. The flames were reaching higher and higher into the night sky, creating stars that lasted for three seconds as they blew away. It was sweltering, even without the jacket.

Odette finally gave up fighting Grayson, so he sat her on her feet. She just sunk down to the ground and hugged her knees, watching the bonfire from hell along with forty other teenagers she didn’t know. She could feel her heart fluttering erratically, and she probably should have been doing something about it, but she couldn’t move. It just didn’t seem important at that moment.

More glass shattered like fireworks, scattering onto the road. Odette thought to herself, maybe she should have one last ditch attempt at getting inside. Even if she didn’t save her parents, she wouldn’t have to live with the crippling emptiness that was already setting in inside her.

“Has someone called the police?” Odette whimpered.

“I don’t know,” he whispered.

This angered her, more tears bubbling to the surface. “WILL SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE?! PLEASE! Don’t just gawk!”

She couldn’t believe that she had to beg. She thought that someone would have done it by then … but they didn’t. They all just sat back and watched her house burn like it was a freaking campfire.

Grayson spoke again, softly. It was so soft she almost didn’t hear him at first. “Odette, I don’t think that you should stay here.”

“I can’t,” she sniffed. “I have to be here when they arrive.”

Grayson closed his eyes. “Do you know what they’ll do? They’ll bring you to the police station and then they will ask you about extended family. You will be sent away before we can have a proper goodbye.”

Odette froze, her fingernails digging into her flesh. She couldn’t let that happen. He was all she had left unless her parents were still alive in there somewhere. She didn’t have any extended family, both of her parents were only children and her grandparents had all died. So, what would they do to her? Would they put her into foster care? That future seemed just as bleak. She continued to cry into her knees, the heat stinging her eyes horribly.

Grayson continued talking. “I think it will be best if you just come back to my house for the night. Rest up. We can figure everything else out in the morning. How does that sound?”

It sounded better than any other option that she was given.

“Please,” she whimpered. “I don’t want to be alone.”

Grayson helped her stand up and they started to walk back to the Mages’ mansion. It was a depressing walk with the fire crackling mercilessly behind them. The summer air felt like winter compared to what she had just been exposed to. It pinpricked against her face and her arms, the air too clean and breathable. She needed to be choked up; she needed to feel that same pain. It was only fair.

“Odette, you’re shivering,” he pointed out.

Was she? She didn’t know. A cold bath might help. Or … a plunge in the indoor pool. She could see her parents again that way.

What was the last thing she said to them? It was nice, right? All because they had allowed her to go to the stupid pool party to ensure that Grayson wouldn’t cheat. How would her day have been different if she stayed with them? They were talking about going shopping after the pizza place, weren’t they? Maybe all three of them would have missed the start of the fire. Maybe they all would have burned together.

Odette was still crying, the tears wouldn’t stop. They just … fell, silently. She hoped that her parents didn’t feel like she abandoned them … right now, or earlier. Most importantly, she hoped that they had somehow gotten out of the house and found a way to the hospital or somewhere safe.

“Odette … stop.” Grayson’s hand was around her shoulder, the pads of his fingers dipping into her skin. She didn’t know what he meant by “stop.” “This wasn’t your fault, okay? Don’t blame yourself.”

She didn’t respond.

Grayson led her up the front steps to the door and pushed it open. The endless barrage of stairs didn’t bother her, Odette just felt numb. There was a rotting feeling inside of her that was growing, though. The pain would get to be too much and she would break down again. She didn’t know what was worse—feeling that numbness or feeling that the world was closing in on her.

Grayson went to his room first and grabbed a new set of clothing for her, then led her into the bathroom.

“Wash up,” he said. “I’ll be waiting nearby.”

Odette closed the bathroom door and locked it. Her reflection showed nothing but a shell of a girl. She had a soot-covered face and tear tracks from her sobbing. Her brown eye looked sunken in but her blue one was overly bright with her tears.

She longed to punch the mirror and feel it shatter underneath her fist but she knew that, if she wasn’t strong enough to save her parents, she wasn’t strong enough to break a mirror.

Once she got the shower working, she sat in the corner and cried.