to a sharp,

heavy eyelids, her blurr

was

tely n

mbered was the searing

Curt

er like a knif

ad up, eyes darti

ay, someone sa

a fitted black shirt

back was straight, posture tense, like

strands of black hair falling o

recognized

rt

overwhelming joy s

bling across the room like her life depen

hoked out, her

n grabbing the last lifeline, burying

ia straightened, reluctantly cupp

d into his arms, Curti

at there,

sn't the reacti

uments, she should've been screaming, blamin

linging onto him like that,

aring him apart with cruel words, saying she

What game was

ing into his shirt, a cold s

ft and cool to the touch. There was a flicker of

almost as quic

her emotional whip

Curtis s

rmured, holdin

s, she stared hard at the man she hadn

mouth that strangled so many words before the

xactly h

r face inched closer

d, but she had him locked in

along the spot, then let go, s

ed. "I... I did

e even

herself. What the h

lose control and

between awkward and annoye

voice was low, his ears visibl

out her kissing him

ward joke, something thrown

s, inhaling what re

ll frozen there, hand covering her mouth

her dazed state, ga

tumbled back and lan

ssed his face, but it

h wet eyes full of sorrow,

his voice flat and drained, like he'd

rce papers right now. Let'

ce pa

d Delia back-right,

n she'd threatened to take her own life

inside her li

t this

hance-how could she po

shaking her head fiercely. "Curtis, I ch

reath trying to make him believe her

look before a tiny, bitter smile

sign

nd walked out without g

c. She tried to chase after him,

iped tear tracks from h

smooth. Lik

isfiguring scar

she looked dow

wrist from when she fell earlier

long her neck-no burn marks.

er nails in

urt.

wi

this place. The study. Curt

y, untouche

it her like a

... com

econd shot a

shed into her all at once, tears spil

r open when he glanced back-and

ly lost it. All this mad

second before he masked whatev

r, not even worrying about the t

m of wheels from downstair

ured. He couldn't

n't go

ope lit up i

e study, her only th

s, hol

r head, she staggered towar

his back, movi

et him leave.

rything fell apart th

ad to stop him-w

until she caught him just as he

arms wide, bl

ng and falling with each breath, a t

s stared at her,

ously want o

uldn't wait and

her self-deprecating sm

really h

she shook

g, "Curtis, listen to me. I'm no

uld she e

d been reborn-he'd probably think s

and. She drew in a deep brea

im, holding his skeptical g