The rhythmic thud of my fists against the pads echoed through the gym, but my mind was elsewhere. Yesterday's events played on a loop in my head: snapping at Carter, pushing him away, trying to save Suzette, and confessing all my secrets to Kat. My life as a reaper had reached a turning point.

I scanned the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of Carter, but he was absent. Guilt gnawed at me, our last awkward encounter feeling like an eternity ago. I hadn't meant to leave things so unresolved, but the weight of my supernatural existence had become overwhelming.

"Whoa, easy there," Kat's voice cut through my thoughts. "You're really going at it today."

I forced a smile, grateful for her easygoing nature. "Yeah, just working through some stuff."

After class, we settled on the bleachers, sipping water and cooling down. Kat's gaze was curious but nonjudgmental. Last night's confession had been a watershed moment, and she'd taken it all in stride, asking questions but never pushing too hard.

"So, how are you holding up?" she asked, her tone gentle.

I took a deep breath, surprised to find that I felt more alive and present than I had in months. "Better, actually. It's like a weight's been lifted."

As we wiped away the sweat, Kat peppered me with questions about being a reaper. I found myself smiling, feeling a spark of life I thought I'd lost.

"And you can really see when people are going to die?" she whispered, fascinated.

I nodded. "Green auras. The faster they flash, the closer to death."

"That's intense," Kat said, shaking her head. "How do you deal with it?"

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Not well, obviously," I laughed dryly, then paused to consider. "It's dark, yeah. But it's nothing compared to how lost I felt the night of my car accident. After dropping out of college and leaving Phillip. At least now I have a purpose, even if I didn't choose it."

Kat's eyes softened. "Have you thought about calling Mom and Dad? They've been worried sick since the accident."

The familiar sting of abandonment flared, but I pushed it down. "I'll text them," I conceded. "It's a start."

As we headed to the locker room, Kat brought up my cravings. "You said it gets bad after a couple of days, right? Why not just... find a soul every two days? Before it hits?"

I blinked, surprised by the simplicity of her suggestion. "That... could work. I could be almost normal between reaps."

Kat grinned, then pointed to a sign hanging on the wall. "Speaking of normal, the gym's hiring kickboxing instructors. You should apply, unless you’re going back to college?" She raised a hopeful eyebrow.

I laughed. "Not going back. That’s just not my place.”

“Then you know you have to face getting a job. This place could be good for you,” she said, a teasing lilt in her voice. “Balance out the dark with something…normal. Plus, you get to blow off a little steam. Besides, if you’re going to officially move in with me, I’m going to eventually start charging you rent.”

We laughed softly and I thought about the job, and for the first time in a while, I felt a flicker of hope. I wasn’t fully at peace with my new life, but I wasn’t fighting it anymore either. “Yeah, I’ll apply. I come almost every day already, and I know all the moves by heart. And Phillips folks keep calling me, pushing me to get all my stuff out of his house so they can sell it. They need to move on, too."

As we left, I felt a weight lifting off my shoulders. For the first time since the accident, I felt like I could breathe.

"I need to take care of something else," I told Kat, thinking of Carter with a lump growing in my throat. I knew that he was too nice, too good for me, but that wasn’t not my decision to make.

“Carter?” she asked with a hopeful smile. When I nodded, she said, "Go get him, tiger," and then winked, giving me a playful shove.

As I reached for my phone to message Carter, I realized that letting Kat in had been the right choice. Maybe I could let Carter in, too. The darkness didn't have to consume me. I was in charge, even when it wasn't my choice. My choice was how I reacted to that darkness.