Chapter 1Last college trip—five of us swore we'd watch the sunrise together.
4 AM. I waited in the dark living room. ONE HOUR.
Finally realized my boyfriend had already left. So did my two childhood friends. Without me.
I rushed to the viewpoint. Alone.
Froze.
All three guys crowded around Celeste—the fragile underclassman.
Callum had his jacket wrapped around her.
Kade and Rhys? Taking backlit couple photos. Of THEM.
Nobody noticed me standing a few feet behind.
Callum posted: "Best version of youth."
The photo: Four hands making a heart.
Not mine.
AGAIN.
Group chat. No me in it.
Skipped my birthday. For her little win.
Ditched me. Every. Single. Time.
They never meant to hurt me.
They just got used to me being there. And just as used to forgetting I existed.
So when the sun broke the horizon, I didn't walk over to say hi.
I turned around.
Bought the next ferry ticket off the island.
Left all three of them behind. For good.
...
"Excuse me, when's the next ferry off the island?"
The lady at the ticket window flipped through her logbook.
"6:40. Speedboat. Three seats left."
"One ticket."
My phone buzzed. Group chat.
Kade: "Sunrise is INSANE. Isla, get over here!"
Attached photo—Celeste standing by the railing, Callum's jacket draped over her shoulders.
Rhys added: "Isla still asleep? Girl can really sleep lol."
Nobody called.
Nobody came looking for me.
The way they realized I was missing?
Posted their photos first, then casually shouted into the group chat.
I shoved the ticket in my pocket and didn't reply.
The wind hit hard when I walked out of the ticket hall.
My phone lit up again—this time, Callum's DM.
"You okay? Why didn't you come?"
Timestamp: 6:12 AM.
They left at four. Two hours before he finally thought of me.
I typed a few words, deleted them. Finally sent back three.
"At the dock."
He replied instantly: "Dock? What are you doing there?"
"Watching boats."
"Weirdo. Come back, we're getting breakfast. Grab Celeste a hot milk—her stomach's bad."
Grab Celeste a hot milk.
Not "Are you hungry?" Not "I'll come get you."
Just bring Celeste milk.
I stared at those words for a long time.
My finger hovered over the screen, then pulled back.
Finally replied with one word.
"OK."
Used to it.
I'd always been used to saying okay.
The dock store did have hot milk. I bought one, stood there holding it in the wind.
6:28 AM.
The speedboat was already docked, crew calling passengers aboard.
The milk was still warm.
I set it down on a bench, turned toward the boarding gate.
Crew scanned my ticket, grabbed the megaphone:
"Speedboat departs at 6:40 sharp. Passengers, head inside."
I sat in the back row.
This time, nobody fought me for the seat. Because I was alone.
Phone rang. Kade.
"Hey, Isla, where are you? Where's the milk?"
"On the dock bench. Come get it yourselves."
"You're not coming back for breakfast?"
"Nope."
"Then what are you doing?"
The speedboat engine roared to life.
"Isla? What's that noise?"
"Nothing. Bad signal."
I hung up.
Switched my phone to airplane mode.
As the boat pulled away from the dock, I could see the mountaintop in the distance.
The sun had already climbed high.
The figures on the viewpoint blurred together.
I couldn't tell who was who anymore.
Actually, I hadn't been able to tell for a long time.
Forty minutes later, the speedboat docked.
I grabbed my suitcase—packed last night—and walked out of the port.
On the way here, five people's luggage piled together.
Callum carried two of Celeste's bags. Kade pushed her suitcase.
Rhys glanced back at me once and said, "You pack light."
That one glance.
The only time anyone noticed me the entire trip.
Outside the port, there was a shuttle bus straight to the airport.
I'd already looked up flights before leaving. Two PM departure.
Back to campus, pack my stuff, then catch the flight to Melbourne three days later.
I got the offer two weeks ago.
I hadn't told anyone.
Not because I was hiding it.
Because nobody would've listened anyway.
The day I got the offer, I posted in the group chat:
"I have good news to share with everyone."
Kade was posting photos of Celeste's homemade cake.
Rhys was praising Celeste's baking skills.
Callum replied with a string of emojis.
My message got pushed up. Nobody asked what my good news was.
I never brought it up again.
The bus wasn't crowded. I sat by the window.
The second I turned off airplane mode, messages flooded in.
Callum: "Where did you go?"
Callum: "Why aren't you picking up?"
Callum: "Isla, what the hell? Everyone's waiting for you to eat."
Kade: "You left the milk at the dock??? Where ARE you???"
Rhys: "Did you actually leave?"
In the group chat, Celeste sent a voice message.
I tapped it.
"Is Isla mad? Is it because we didn't wake her for sunrise?"
"It's all my fault—I told Kade I was scared of the dark last night and asked him to come with me, so everyone ended up going..."
"Please don't be mad, Isla."
Her voice was soft. Almost whiny.
Scared of the dark.
She was scared, so Kade went with HER.
So did Callum.
So did Rhys.
What about me?
Freshman year during orientation week, the power went out one night.
The whole dorm building went pitch black.
I called Callum and told him I was scared of the dark.
He said, "You're an adult. Still scared of the dark?"
Then hung up.
I never told anyone I was scared of the dark again.
In the group chat, Kade was already comforting Celeste.
"It's not your fault. Isla's just cranky in the morning."
Rhys agreed. "Yeah, she's always like this. Don't worry about it."
Callum didn't say anything in the group.
But he DM'd me.
"If you're upset, come back and talk about it."
"Don't pull this disappearing act. It's embarrassing for everyone."
Embarrassing for everyone.
Not "What's wrong?" Not "I'll come find you."
Just—embarrassing for everyone.
I exited the chat, opened the airline app, confirmed my afternoon flight.
The bus rolled down the highway. The coastline slowly shrank in the distance.
My phone lit up again.
Callum calling.
I stared at his name flashing on the screen. Waited thirty seconds.
By the seventh ring, I pressed silent.
Wind leaked through the window crack. Salty.
Like the taste of tears.
"Excuse me, how much longer to the airport?" I asked the driver.
"Forty minutes."
"Thanks."
Right before my screen went dark, I saw Callum's last message.
"Fine. Take your space. We'll talk tonight when you're back."
Tonight.
He thought I'd be back tonight.
He'd always thought I'd come back.
Just like every other time I got ignored—I'd smile, say it was fine, and keep following behind them.
"Not coming back," I said to the empty air.
The engine drowned it out.
Nobody heard.
Chapter 2
"One ticket. Economy. Two PM flight."
The airport agent glanced at my ID.
"Ms. Hart, no checked luggage?"
"No."
One carry-on. One backpack. That's all I was taking from this relationship.
Through security, I found a corner seat in the terminal.
My phone was already on Do Not Disturb—only favorited contacts could get through.
Callum wasn't on that list. Neither was Kade or Rhys.
They used to be.
A month ago when I cleaned out my contacts, I unfavorited them.
That night, I'd asked Callum if he wanted to grab dinner over the weekend.
He said he was helping Celeste move dorms.
I said I'd come help too.
"We have enough people. You don't need to come."
I put down my phone, stared at his name in my favorites list, and suddenly felt ridiculous.
What's the point of favoriting someone who never reaches out first?
The gate announcements looped overhead. AC blasting cold air.
I pulled my jacket tighter.
When I packed before this trip, I realized I didn't own a single piece of Callum's clothing.
Two years together. He never once draped his jacket over my shoulders.
But Celeste showed up three months ago.
And suddenly his windbreaker, his hoodie, his zip-up—they all rotated onto her.
Kade said Celeste was fragile, caught colds easily.
Rhys said she couldn't handle the cold, needed looking after.
Callum didn't say anything. Just took off his jacket and handed it over.
What about me?
Sophomore year, winter, heavy snow. We went out for sukiyaki.
I walked out in just a thin sweater, shivering hard.
Kade glanced at me. "Why didn't you wear more layers?"
Rhys laughed. "Isla never gets cold. She's tough like that."
Callum shoved his hands in his pockets and never turned around.
I caught up, tugged his sleeve.
"Can I borrow your jacket?"
He frowned. "You didn't bring one. Whose fault is that?"
Kade smoothed it over.
"Come on, let's just get inside, there's a line."
That meal, I sat by the door.
Every time someone walked in, cold air blasted straight down my back.
Nobody offered to switch seats.
After that, I learned. Always bring an extra layer.
Not because I was cold.
Because nobody was going to block the wind for me.
My phone buzzed—a text from an unknown number.
"Isla, it's Celeste. Kade gave me your number."
"Are you mad about this morning? I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it."
"I told them to wake you, but Callum said you're a heavy sleeper and didn't want to disturb you."
"Please don't blame them, okay?"
Callum said I'm a heavy sleeper.
He knows I wake up at the slightest sound.
Two years together, he rolls over in bed and I'm awake.
He didn't think I was a heavy sleeper.
He just didn't want to wake me.
When Celeste was around, I was extra.
Easier not to call me. Four people made a clean group.
Better photos. Better conversation. No need to accommodate Isla, who was always half a beat behind.
I didn't reply to Celeste's text.
Ten minutes later, Kade messaged me.
"Isla, Celeste already apologized. What more do you want?"
"She's the youngest of us. She's sensitive."
"If you're upset about this morning, come back tonight and we'll treat you to a nice dinner. Sound good?"
Treat me to a nice dinner.
Same compensation every time they forgot about me.
Forgot to save me a seat? Dinner.
Forgot to tell me where to meet? Dinner.
Forgot my birthday—
That time, they didn't even offer dinner.
Junior year, my birthday. I mentioned it in the group chat a week in advance.
Kade said he remembered.
Rhys said, "Don't worry, we won't forget."
Callum sent a cake emoji.
Day of, I booked a restaurant—table for five.
Turned out Celeste had also made plans with them that day.
She got into a photography contest, wanted to celebrate.
Kade asked me, "You don't mind celebrating with Celeste, right?"
I said I didn't mind.
That whole meal, they talked about Celeste's photography portfolio.
Callum edited her photos.
Kade helped her pick contest entries.
Rhys raised his glass to toast her.
Nobody mentioned my birthday.
Not once.
Halfway through, I went to the restroom.
When I came back, I overheard Celeste saying.
"I'm so happy. Thanks for coming out just to celebrate with me."
That was MY restaurant. MY table. MY date, planned a week ahead.
But in everyone's eyes, it was Celeste's celebration dinner.
I sat back down, smiled, raised my glass. "Cheers to Celeste."
Callum glanced at me, clinked my glass.
That was the only time he looked at me all night.
Next day, Kade posted the dinner photos.
Nine photos. Celeste in every single one.
Caption: "Congrats to our little photographer."
Rhys commented: "First place. No doubt!"
Callum liked it.
Nobody remembered it was actually my birthday.
The terminal speakers crackled to life.
"Passengers traveling to Portland, we will begin boarding shortly."
I stood up, slung my bag over my shoulder.
My phone lit up one last time.
Rhys's message.
"Isla, where the hell are you? Callum's getting worried."
"Are you ignoring his calls on purpose?"
"Don't be like this. We're all just trying to look out for you."
Look out for me.
I'd heard that excuse for four years.
They called my compromise "understanding."
Called my silence "easygoing."
Called my leaving "throwing a tantrum."
Never once did anyone think maybe I was just too hurt to come back.
The boarding line was short. I stood at the end.
Scanned my boarding pass, walked down the jetway.
The cabin door sealed shut with a dull thud. Like a period at the end of a sentence.
My phone was still lit.
Callum sent another message.
"Isla Hart, if you don't reply soon, I'm actually getting mad."
I stared at those words and laughed.
He was angry.
Not worried.
Mad—because I wasn't doing what he wanted.
The plane started taxiing. Runway lights past the window.
I turned off my phone.
Chapter 3
"Isla, what the hell? Why'd you turn off your phone?"
Landed, I turned my phone back on.
First thing waiting for me—Kade's voice message.
His tone was sharp, clearly annoyed.
"Callum's freaking out."
"We didn't wake you for sunrise—is that really worth all this drama?"
I didn't reply.
Caught a ride back to campus. Headed straight to my dorm to pack.
My roommate Sienna was doing a face mask in the room.
When I dragged my suitcase in, she froze.
"Wait, weren't you at the beach? Why are you back already?"
"Left early."
"Did you fight with Callum?"
"Nope."
"Then what—"
"I'm moving out. Flying to Melbourne in three days."
She peeled half the mask off her face, sat up straight.
"What did you just say?"
"Got a job offer. Design position. Signed the contract last week."
"You're leaving the country? Does Callum know?"
"No."
"You're just leaving without breaking up first?"
I crouched down, started packing books. Didn't look back.
"Haven't told him yet."
"Isla, are you insane?"
"I'm thinking clearly for once."
Sienna had known me four years. She knew I wasn't impulsive.
She watched me pack piece by piece into the suitcase, quiet for a long moment.
"Need help?"
"Yeah. Take down those two picture frames on my desk."
She walked over, picked them up.
One was a photo of me and Callum—taken last year at the café by campus.
The other was all five of us, from a spring outing sophomore year.
Sienna turned it over, studied it.
"Celeste's dead center in this one."
I didn't respond.
"You know what?" She handed me the frame.
"Last time Celeste came looking for you and you weren't here, she went through your desk for like ten minutes."
"Looking for what?"
"No idea. When I came back, she was digging through your drawer. I asked what she was doing. She said she was looking for sticky notes."
"I don't keep sticky notes in my drawer."
"I know."
Sienna looked at me.
"That frame on your desk—wasn't it farther back before?"
I remembered.
That group photo used to be on my bookshelf.
Later, it got moved to the most visible spot on my desk.
I'd always thought I accidentally knocked it there.
"She moved it?"
"I saw her arranging that photo when I walked in. I asked why she was touching your stuff. She said she was worried it'd get dusty, wanted to wipe it down for you."
Does wiping a frame require opening someone's drawer?
I flipped both frames face-down on the desk. Didn't pack them.
"Not taking these."
Sienna nodded. Didn't say anything else.
I didn't have much—one suitcase, two cardboard boxes. Done.
Boxes would ship home. Suitcase would fly with me.
Halfway through packing, my phone rang.
Callum.
I hesitated a few seconds. Answered anyway.
"Where the hell did you go?"
His voice wasn't worried. It was accusing.
"Back to campus."
"You came back early? Why?"
"Had something to do."
"What? We're not even leaving the island till the day after tomorrow. You just leave—now Celeste won't even talk. Happy now?"
Celeste won't even talk.
So this was my fault.
I made Celeste uncomfortable. I ruined the vibe. I was being difficult.
"Yeah. Sorry."
"That's all you ever say. Sorry. Can you not do this? Every time something happens, you just shut down. What's everyone supposed to think?"
"Keep having fun. Don't worry about me."
"Isla, what's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. Just had something to take care of, so I came back."
He paused. His tone softened slightly.
"Okay. Fine. As long as you're safe. I'll call you tonight."
"Okay."
"Oh, and can you swing by Celeste's dorm and grab my charging cable? She says I left it there. The black one."
I gripped my phone, stared at the ceiling for a long time.
"Which building?"
"Building seven, room 405. Her roommate should be there. Just say you're with me."
His charging cable was in Celeste's dorm.
He thought that was normal.
Normal enough to send his girlfriend to pick it up.
"Okay."
I hung up.
Sienna was watching me.
"You're not actually going, right?"
"Nope."
"Then why'd you say okay?"
I didn't answer.
Because it was habit.
Saying okay. Saying it's fine. Saying I don't mind.
I'd said it so many times, I couldn't tell anymore if I was lying to him or myself.
My phone lit up again.
Group chat.
Celeste posted a photo.
Sunset beach shot—her sitting alone on the sand, wrapped in Callum's jacket.
Caption was a sad face emoji.
Kade replied: "Don't be upset. That's just how Isla is. She'll be fine in a couple days."
Rhys replied: "Yeah, she's not mad at you."
Always Isla's fault.
I put my phone down, kept packing.
At the back of my drawer, a small box.
I opened it—a bracelet.
Callum gave it to me on our one-year anniversary.
Silver chain, thin. A little star charm dangling from it.
I'd been so happy.
Only later did I find out Celeste helped him pick it.
Once, Celeste saw me wearing it and smiled.
"Pretty, right? I went to three stores with Callum before we found it."
He went to three stores with Celeste to pick out my gift.
But never once took me shopping. Just the two of us.
I put the bracelet back in the box, set it on the desk.
Next to the picture frames.
Left them all behind.
Sienna stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, watching me.
"Isla, you're really leaving without telling him?"
"I'll tell him once I'm on the plane."
"Why?"
"Because if I tell him now, he'll think I'm throwing a tantrum. He'll try to talk me down. I'll cave. And everything goes back to how it was."
"You won't cave this time?"
I zipped up my suitcase and stood up.
"There's nothing left to cave on."
