ers

this time. Not after everything. I coul

days, my thoughts full of regret. I missed her voice, her touch, her laugh. I missed the wa

ng I was okay, pretending I could live

and there, I

going

made good on every threat he had ever give

ide,

of self,

p with Cecilia

it had been stolen

hesitated even for a second, I might not have the strength to go through with it. I

n the dark

ey

e had people, cameras, neighbors who owed hi

ollow what my heart was

o her... and further away from everything I had known. I didn't even care where my phone

w every crack in the sidewalk, every tree that lined the edge of her family

, I wasn'

or. For a moment, I couldn't move. My hands wer

my fist a

th

esperation was rising with each second that passed. I kn

th

tst

creaked o

ere sh

ci

wasn't

h fury. Her two brothers were there too, tall and tense

r grew

th, but her fat

who broke our da

e hit li

he said, spitting the words like pois

speak. I co

they weren't soft like they used

ing. But no words came out. My

r brother ste

sharply. "You're the reason she stopped eating. You're th

e a knife being pu

ow and broken. "I never meant for this to happen. I made

didn'

My back slammed into the doorframe. His face was inches fro

through clenched teeth. "You never did.

eart

es were glossy, like she might cry-b

brother

dn't he

into my stomach. I gasped, doubl

id, coughing. "I di

y didn'

blow to

r to m

d to grab onto the wall, to stand,

l the pain anymor

d, I heard someone yelling

t was

yal in their voices. My own guilt

ide for so long came cras

ed to smile when she saw me, how she once

me get beaten at her door

thing insid

ight back.

alread

d the edges. I couldn't see cle

th

ing wen

feel anythi

ed to fade away, and I k