rey

beating, my soul detached fro

onger feel

bove the pebbly stream bed, l

sted at an extrem

coat has been soaked in b

open, staring blankly

from the air, draw

ine to the open-air terrace of the "Viewpoint Vi

table, with string lights c

not Noir was chilled in

is phone, his brow furr

red under his breath, slamming his pho

r things don't go her way, she d

o him, Evan's heavy leather jack

d been meticulously manicured, and

see her?" Bianca said softly, her voice

ad headache, you wouldn't have left her

nd waved her fo

lame on yourself. Audrey did

ocktail and leaned back

nksgiving? Just because it was getting dark, she refused to help clean the

his expression tur

right,"

y time she feels insecure, I have to drop everything to co

ng table, gazing indifferen

ifted back to

broken curb near our townhouse

my face, calling Evan, feeling lost and unable to

tennis with his f

nd promised to come over after playing ball, but he left me alone on the

se I loved him, I c

he was jus

ally understa

t carele

't care whether

hone again and diale

ame through the receiver: "The number

cold laugh a

there and reflect on ju

and sobbing as she walks down the mountain,

give in this time and let her

n at Kara's

boyfriend and abandoned in a neighborhood with

n a business tr

me hysterica

at night, I still spent three hundred dollars to call an emergency car and ac

undry, and held her as she sobbed u

r like my

leisurely, drinking her

tilting her head back, her eyelashes flutte

ou'd set off sparklers w

face melted instantly, turning

. Whatever ma

Bianca and Kara to the open observat

arklers and firewor

held sparkler and h

loomed in the night sky, ill

tly on her shoulder, as they watched together as the m

the same firelight flickered faintly, casting a weak