They Left Me, He Claimed My Heart

L BURG

despair I hadn' t known I possessed. My father looked at me, hi

nto his expensive couch after Garrick left. Then Jorden. Each time, my father had picked up the pieces, threatened

nt downtown, a quiet, subtle transition. Yet, my former partners never came back. It

much. Jorden' s, burning with a strange mix of anger and regret, as he acc

ser, Crystal," Garrick had said, his voice flat. "You just take." Jorden, always more volatile, h

us?" Connor had asked, his voice soft but still a punch

hey had looked at me with open disgust, their faces twisted in regret that

ied until my throat was raw, until my vision went dark and the world turned to sta

ilence. He didn't say anything for a long moment, just watched

perate. "I never wanted you to feel this way. Never wanted anyone to hurt you." He

have three days. Think about it. Really think. If you stil

. It felt like a lifetime,

way feeling impossibly long. My head throbbed, my

aw him. Conn

is arm was a small, worn children's book, its spine bent. It was

othed into a practiced smile. He quickly tucked the

walked past him, my gaze fixed straight ahead, as if he were si

His voice was light, casual, as if

uldn' t. If I did, I knew

ond. He was standing there, a few yards away, still clutching that book. He held i

The tremor started

oat, raw and ragged. "How could you? How could you all d

lly invisible now cast curious, pitying glance

of the setting sun stretched his silhouette long and thin a

couldn't name. It was the realizat

his. Not if I could help it. I wheeled around, forcing my trembling

stal," he said, his voice losing its forced li

the building where Andrea's temporary apartment was. He just walked away, and I