Glass Hearts [BL] Chapter 155: Everyone Wants to Be Seen

Ash’s POV

"Dominic..." I whispered. "Were you and your friends... involved in sothing? An incident you never told anyone?"

He looked at , and even though he didn’t speak, I saw the answer in his eyes.

My chest was tight, waiting for the words, begging him to just spit the truth out.

Suddenly? my phone buzzed.

June.

I picked up imdiately.

"June?" My voice ca out panicked.

"Ash..." Her voice cracked, like she was crying.

My stomach dropped. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Marcus...." she choked. "He just left. Can you...can you co downstairs, please?"

"I’ll be right there."

I hung up and turned to Dom, who was staring at like he was relieved he didn’t have to go further. "I’ll be right back," I muttered before walking out the door.

My feet barely touched the stairs as I flew down. Past the people dancing, past the drunk ones yelling.

Then I saw her.

"Ash..." Her voice was so small.

I didn’t think. I just ran to her and wrapped her up before she could collapse. The second her chest hit mine, she broke, sobbing like she’d been holding it in since.

My arms tightened around her. "Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m here. I got you."

But inside, I was shaking.

What the hell happened to make June cry like this?

She buried her face in my shoulder, trembling. "I think I just made a mistake. I just want to go ho."

I pulled back just enough to look at her. Her cheeks were wet, her eyes red and desperate.

My chest ached. "Juney, what’s wrong? Talk to ."

Her lip wobbled, and she shook her head like she couldn’t get the words out.

"Marcus hates . He hates us. And I don’t know what to do. I...I think I kinda made a big mistake today, Ash."

I cupped her face, wiping at her tears with my thumbs. "Hey. No. Marcus doesn’t hate you. He’s just upset. Whatever happened, we’ll fix it, okay? Just breathe."

She choked on a laugh. "You don’t get it. He looked at like I wasn’t even his friend anymore. Like I ruined everything."

My throat tightened. "June, you didn’t ruin anything. Marcus is our best friend, but he’s hurt right now. That doesn’t an it’s over. He’ll co around."

Her fingers fisted in my shirt. "What if he doesn’t?"

"Then we keep trying." My voice cracked, but I ant it. "We don’t give up on each other. Ever. Not , not you, not Marcus. We’ll figure it out. I promise."

My phone buzzed again in my pocket. Still shaky from holding June, I pulled it out.

One new ssage.

AnonymousNumber: I gave you ti to do the right thing but you didn’t. Now I’m going to finish what I started. Let’s see how you can stop .

My stomach dropped. My eyes widened so fast.

No. No, no, no.

Finish what he started? What does he an?

Don’t tell he’s talking about Liam.

I couldn’t breathe.

"June," I whispered, shoving my phone into my pocket before she could see it. My hands were shaking. "I’ll be right back, okay? Just...wait here for ."

"Ash!" she reached for , confused, but I was already running, taking the stairs two at a ti, my hands were shaking so bad I almost slipped.

I shoved open the door to the room where I left him. "Dom!"

Dominic raised his head, startled. "Ash? What hap..."

"How many minutes will it take us to reach the hospital?" I cut in, breathless.

He raised his brow. "Did sothing happen? Probably 20 minutes, if there’s no traffic. What’s wrong?"

"I’ll tell you on the way," I snapped. "Let’s just go. Now."

Sothing in my tone must’ve convinced him, because he didn’t argue. He just grabbed his jacket off the chair, already heading for the door.

We ran back down the stairs. June was still waiting, hugging herself.

I forced myself to steady. "We’re heading out. Co with us, we’ll drop you on the way."

"What’s going on? Did sothing happen." She asked too.

"Please, June. Just get in the car."

Her eyes darted between and Dominic, panic sparking in her own chest now. But she nodded, no more questions.

The three of us rushed out together.

The only thing I could think of was that ssage, over and over.

Finish what I started.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that sothing terrible was about to happen. Like no matter how fast we drove, we might still be too late.

The ride was heavy. Silent too.

The kind of silence that pressed against your chest until it felt like you couldn’t breathe.

Even June, who couldn’t survive five minutes without talking, only shifted in the backseat before finally whispering,

"Ash...what happened?"

I forced my lips into sothing like a smile and turned halfway toward her. "It’s nothing serious, juney. We just want to sort out sothing."

The lie tasted bitter. But after everything she’d been through tonight, she didn’t need more weight on her shoulders.

Her eyes searched mine in the dim glow of the passing streetlights. "Is your mom okay?"

I swallowed hard and nodded, turning back to face the windshield. "Yeah."

I hope mom is okay too.

She sighed and leaned back. For a mont, the car was silent again except for the hum of the engine.

June sighed, her voice cracked. "Ash!"

She called out to .

I turned to her, smiling.

"Do you think I’m stupid? I’m so gullible."

Her hands twisted in her lap. Her eyes stayed fixed on the dark window, as if the glass could hide her sad expression.

"I keep falling for the wrong people," she whispered, almost too soft to hear. "I ruin everything. Always making a fool of myself."

I turned, staring at her from the front seat. "Juney...don’t say that. You’re not stupid. You just... care a lot. That’s not a flaw."

She swallowed hard, blinking fast. "Maybe Marcus was right."

"About what? What exactly did he say?"

Her lips trembled. "That I’m... disgusting. That I just want attention so bad." She laughed again, but it cracked down the middle. "Guess I’m pathetic afterall."

Dominic’s grip tightened on the wheel. He finally spoke. "Marcus was angry. He doesn’t get to define you, June. You’re not disgusting. You’re human. You want to be seen....hell, everyone does. That doesn’t make you pathetic."

Her breath hitched, but she stayed quiet. I reached for her hand, squeezing them gently. "He doesn’t an it, June. He loves you. We both do. Please don’t believe the worst thing soone says in a mont of anger."

She pressed her forehead to the cold glass, tears sliding silently down her cheeks, her chest rising and falling too fast. For a long mont she didn’t move. Then finally, she sighed. "Yeah. Sure."

When we finally pulled up to her house, Dominic slowed, turning the wheel smoothly to the curb. June unbuckled quietly, gathering her things.

She hesitated before getting out, her eyes flickered between us like she had sothing else to say. Then she forced a small smile, waved, and slipped out into the night.

I watched her until the door shut.

Then slowly, i turned to Dominic.

"Dom..." My voice ca out low.

Dominic glanced at , one hand still on the wheel. "What is it?"

I swallowed hard, my throat felt dry. "I think Liam is in danger."

Dominic’s brows shot up, his body tensed. "What do you an?"

I pulled out his phone, staring at the ssage. My hands shook. "I got a text. From an anonymous number. It said....’I gave you ti to do the right thing but you didn’t. Now I’m going to finish what I started.’"

"What does that an? How do you know it’s about Liam?" He widened his eyes.

I swallowed hard. "Dom... there’s sothing else I need to tell you."