A week had passed since Phillip's death. And mine, too, I guess. The whole ordeal left me a complete mess—not because I missed him. God, no. I was relieved he was gone. That thought should have unsettled me, but after everything that had happened, my view on life had taken a decidedly dark turn.

How does one go back to "normal" after discovering the afterlife is real? After becoming Death's apprentice, or whatever the hell I was now?

When doubts gnawed at me, telling me it was all in my head, I’d reach into the void and pull out that damn scythe. The cold metal in my grip was a constant reminder that I wasn’t losing my mind. Just cursed. Or blessed. The jury was still out.

But something was wrong. The sickness that plagued me only intensified with each passing day. My body was rebelling—sweat poured off me, headaches throbbed in relentless waves, and my heart raced like I was running a marathon while standing still. My hands shook so badly that holding a cup of coffee without spilling it had become a challenge.

Part of me wondered if the car accident had done more damage than I realized. A visit to the doctor would have been the smart thing to do, but that meant admitting something was wrong. And I wasn't ready for that—another hospital bill was the last thing I needed. So, I did what I always did: plastered on a smile and pretended everything was fine.

But it wasn’t. Beneath the physical symptoms was a hunger, a craving that gnawed at me constantly. I needed something, something I was too afraid to name.

“Earth to Kal!” Kat’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. We were standing outside the gym, gym bags slung over our shoulders. “You sure you’re up for this? We can skip class if you’re not feeling well.”

I forced a smile. “I’m fine. Just tired. I want to get back to normal.”

Kat didn’t look convinced, but she nodded. “Alright. But if you start feeling worse, we’re out of there. Deal?”

“Deal,” I agreed, following her inside.

The familiar scent of sweat and disinfectant hit me as we walked in. Kat had been dragging me to this kickboxing class for years, insisting we needed some sisterly bonding time. I’d grumbled and complained but ended up loving it. Now, it was our thing. Our escape.

As we changed in the locker room, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I looked like hell—pale, with dark circles under my eyes. But there was something else, too. A faint glow around me, barely visible, but another reminder that I was different now.

We found our usual spots near the back of the studio. As people filed in, I studied them. One golden aura after another. I found myself hoping I’d see another green one, like Phillip’s had been. My grip tightened on my water bottle, trying to ground myself.

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“You okay?” Kat whispered, noticing my tension.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The instructor started the warm-up, and I threw myself into it, desperate for any distraction from my spiraling thoughts.

Halfway through the class, drenched in sweat and feeling marginally more human, I noticed him. The bleach-blond hair, bronze skin, and a strong golden glow. Carter. What was he doing here?

Coincidence? In my life right now, I wasn’t sure I believed in them. Fate seemed more likely.

He caught my eye and grinned, giving a little wave. I waved back automatically, my mind racing. I’d never seen him here before. Was he following me? No, that was just paranoia talking. He’d been nothing but kind to me. Maybe the universe knew I needed some sunshine to balance out my perpetual gloom.

After class, as Kat and I were gathering our things, Carter approached us.

“Hey, Kal,” he said warmly. “I’m surprised to see you here. How are you feeling?”

I opened my mouth to give my standard ‘I’m fine’ response, but what came out instead was, “As good as expected after almost dying.”

Concern flashed across his face. “Yeah, I bet…” He trailed off.

Kat’s eyes lit up. “Oh Carter! You left so quickly I never got a chance to thank you for being there for Khalida. I don’t know what I would have done if…”

“It was nothing,” Carter said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Anyone would have done the same.”

“Not anyone,” I muttered.

An awkward silence fell. Carter cleared his throat. “So, uh, I’m new here at the gym. Thought I’d try something different. I usually do karate, but kickboxing looked fun.”

“It is,” Kat agreed. “We’ve been coming here for years. Right, Kal?”

I nodded, studying Carter. His aura was the brightest gold I’d seen yet, almost blinding. It was… comforting, somehow.

“Maybe you could show me the ropes sometime?” Carter asked, flashing a charming smile. “If you’re feeling up to it, I mean.”

Before I could respond, Kat jumped in. “That’s a great idea! Kal’s been in a funk lately. Getting out more would do her good.”

I shot her a glare, but she just smiled innocently.

“What?” she said. “It’s not like you have school… or a job… or anything other than endless Netflix reruns.”

If that didn’t make me look attractive, nothing would.

“I don’t want to impose,” Carter said quickly. “Especially if you’re not feeling well. And I don’t want to make your boyfriend jealous… what was his name? Phillip.”

“Ex-boyfriend,” I corrected automatically, then cringed. “And he’s dead, so…”

Carter’s eyes widened, and Kat elbowed me sharply.

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I’m not great at… people… right now.”

But Carter surprised me by laughing. “Hey, no worries. We all cope differently. At least you’re honest.”

His laughter was infectious, and I found myself smiling—really smiling—for the first time in days.

“You know what?” Carter said. “I think I missed the kickboxing class. Do you two want to grab a coffee instead?”

Before I could decline, Kat responded. “I can’t. I need to get to work. But Kal has all the time in the world.”

I froze. What a way to throw me under the bus.

But there was something about the way Carter’s face lit up that made me not mad at my sister.

As we walked out of the gym, I caught Kat grinning at me. I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help feeling a little lighter. Sure, the sickness and whatever craving I was having were still there, lurking beneath the surface. But for the first time in days, it didn’t feel all-consuming. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope for me yet. At least for as long as it took to drink a cup of coffee.