Page 29 of Love Me

“That was your gift to me. Don’t be petty.”

“What would you do to get it back?”

She squints at me, and it kills me. She trusted me with her life, and she should have. I would have died to keep her safe, but now her trust in me is nonexistent. Of all the things that have happened between us, that affects me the most.

I get up and she says, “I keep it as a reminder.”

Of me loving you like no fucking human on this earth?

My body vibrates with bottled feelings; anger and frustration wreak havoc through me.

She juts her chin out. “To never forget that I am alone and that I should trust no one. And that my love for you was the most idiotic thing I did in my life.”

I snap my head to hers. “Your love for me was idiotic?”

Her feet are firmly planted on the floor while her upper body heaves. We both seem to be scraping at the door of sanity and composure.

“I’m keeping it.”

“Why?”

“Break up with him, and I’ll tell you.”

Her eyes bulge. Fuck, she loves him. Another round of me wrestling with pain pounds me to a bloody pulp.

“He wouldn’t care if I slept with you, you know. He and I have a very… open relationship.”

“You settled for a fuckboy. How disappointing.”

“He’s worth it.”

“Get the fuck out of my room.”

She leaves with a grin on her face. Fucking brilliant. I hope she’s ready to unleash the madness in me.

I guess I will sleep with one open eye from now on.

***

When my alarm rings in the morning, I am sleep-deprived and cranky as fuck. Slamming my palm on my phone, I cut the sound and head to the bathroom.

After I shower, I search for my phone, but it’s not where I left it on my nightstand.

“Celine.” I roar her name and change quickly into jeans and a button-down shirt. Tying up my shoes, I hop down the stairs two at a time. I don’t keep anything incriminating on my phone, but still.

“She left,” Bailey says when I dash out of the kitchen.

“No breakfast?”

“Thank you. I’m good.”

She has remained a good person among our rot, sustaining my fragile hope for humanity. Abigail’s heels click a staccato down the stairs before she appears at the kitchen entrance.

I stride past her toward the front door when Abi asks, “What did she do now?”

“She stole my phone.”

Abi tries to suppress a smile. “Hmm, she’s changed indeed.”

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