's
ike that." A high, keening moan. "Oh,
compared to the raw, tearing ache spreading through my
A rhythm that was supposed to be mine. "God, never. Why ar
as this bee
length of his back. Her long nails dug into his
s her
oven bracelet. Blue, green
same one I
o we always carry a piece of eac
lding my hair back when I was sick and me staying up all night to help he
p tore out o
roken and
came. "Mary. Wha
like her skin had burned him. Like he
s, grabbing for the sheets
him. Not with the sw
pread around herself,
t what happened," Nathan
hen I tur
happened?!" My voice rose, cracking on the last
ted, taking a step toward me. "You
ng the blanket fall. She d
Your friends were all laughing at you for being with a waitress." She looked rig
han snapped, his voic
't. She s
round her is exhausting! All she does is whine about how unfair life is!" Her next word snapped something in me. "Her mot
. I lunged forward and slapped her, hard. He
her head into the nearest wall. Over and over again. My vi
ill her!" Nathan grabbed my ar
d humiliating. I couldn't stop them. I couldn't
breathe. I
just as Nathan re
e," I choked out. "I hat
oring the stunned faces in the doorway.
stepped directly into my
oser." A familiar, high-pitched voi
ng
at me, a cold s
was fucking your boyfriend, huh?" She tsked. "God, you're hopeless. Rig
hink. I sho
nks. Glass shattered. Liquor splashed across her dress and on
ran out the front door, and
I noticed the sk
it start
ly around myself. The rain soaked my thin dress, m
break free when I sat on a swing. Ugly,
rse. I fumbled with numb
" Her voice was bright, impatient. "I know I sai
sto
, are you crying? Are you outsid
" I whispered, my voice ra
re ar
a p
know how
o my underwear. A warm blanket was wrapped around my shoulders
on the couch. She was already in her pajamas. Guilt con
my mouth to apologi
me. Just tell me what happened. You were supposed to b
urring the steam rising from m
ke that the other day. I thought she was joking." She reached for her
ice low and tired. "Nathan
"Mary? Your Mary? Your bes
at the ceiling. "I'm such a fool. And a bad daughter. All because of that stupid
one could ask for. You deserved something nice for yourself, even if it... didn't go how you planned.
ing kicked out of school? Had
an opening. A secretary or assistant position. It didn't require a degree, just s
t would a company like Blackwood Holdings want with a universi
eyes pleading. "Ari, please don't shut this down before it even starts. Let's
self hope. Not that
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