Updated Apr 8, 2026 • ~2 min read
Chapter 22: March
Sienna
March arrives, and Harper falls apart.
She fails a test. Gets into another fight. Stops turning in homework.
Sienna knows what this is. The anniversary of her mother’s death is next week.
She emails Jace: **Emergency meeting needed. Harper is struggling again.**
They meet in her classroom after school.
Jace looks exhausted. Defeated.
“I know what this is,” he says. “Meredith died March 15th. Three years ago this week.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Harper always gets like this around the anniversary. I should’ve warned you.”
“What can I do to help?”
“I don’t know. Just… be patient with her. She’s grieving.”
They sit in silence.
Then Sienna says: “How are YOU? With the anniversary?”
“I’m…” He stops. “I miss you.”
“Jace—”
“I know. We can’t. But god, Sienna, I miss you so much it physically hurts.”
“I miss you too. Every single day.”
“Three more months.”
“Three more months.”
Their eyes meet. Hold.
“I love you,” he says quietly.
“I love you too.”
“In June—”
“In June, we figure this out. Together.”
He nods. Stands to leave.
At the door, he pauses. “Sienna?”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t know if I can wait that long.”
“You have to. We both do.”
He leaves.
And Sienna puts her head on her desk and cries.
Because she doesn’t know if SHE can wait either.
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