Page 175 of Unloved

I would be worried, but I’ve realized this is what Matt and Sadie’s friendship will be—sharp barbs and snippy comments.

Matt with a smirk, Sadie with a scowl.

“Touché.” He nods, leaning forward to take a sip of his fruity margarita. “But can you blame me? Look at her.”

I blush as Matt pinches my cheek and points to me like a piece of artwork on a museum wall. Sadie’s stern frown slips into a gentle smile. Secretly romantic underneath her tough exterior, she’s happy to see us together.

And I’m happy we’re all together.

It’s almost surreal, if I think back to last year in comparison. My roommate barely hanging on by a thread, hurting and angry, now happy and loved and taken care of by someone who loves her. My misery at a job where every person I worked with openly hated me or treated me differently. Now, I’m learning from the top-performing professor in our department with a direct line to two of my top grad schools, studying the topic I wanted all along. My desperation to be good enough for a boy who didn’t love me, who didn’t deserve it, now replaced with the gentle surety that I am wholly and completely adored by Matty.

I am so thankful—for all of it.

Matt now calls my parents more than I do. He has lunch with Archer once a month, sometimes more, if his schedule isn’t insane. We do a date night every other week—but we’re both understanding when plans change.

Being with him iseasy. Loving him is even easier.

“Sadie and I are gonna try to go into Boston next weekend, since we’re off on Saturday. Do you two wanna come?” Rhys asks, settling a hand over the back of Sadie’s neck.

Matt sighs a little and shakes his head. “I told Archer I couldspend the day with him.” He turns to me, pulling my chair closer to him so our knees knock. “You should go, though.”

“Oh.” I shake my head. “No—I don’t have to, really.”

“C’mon, princess. You can spend the day with your best friend. I trust Rhys and Bennett to take care of you. It’ll be safe.”

Trust. Concern—but only for my safety and comfort. Sometimes it feels surreal, but I have to remind myself that this is normal. This is a good relationship, how it’s supposed to be.

“And”—Matt leans in, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek—“I’ll come up right after. We can spend Saturday night and Sunday together, okay?”

“Don’t cut your time with Archer short.”

“Never. It’ll be perfect.”

It already is.

EPILOGUEFive years later…Freddy

“You’re gonna be late.”

“I’m not gonna be late, Mrs. Shariff. I promise.”

“You are,” she moans, tinny through the speaker. “I canfeelit.”

I quietly chuckle a little as I grab a program from the man at the door who eyes the phone at my ear like it’s some type of vermin I grabbed off the street.

“I’ve gotta go. I’m here.”

“Matt—”

“See! I told you I wouldn’t be late.”

She sighs heavily, her voice trembling slightly. “I feel like a horrible mother for not being there—”

“Hush with that,” I say. “You need to be there for Daniel. Besides, I’ll be sure to film the whole thing, okay?”

Daniel Shariff’s condition took a turn for the worse in the year after graduation, a second stroke leaving him nearly completely bedridden. I was in talks with a contractor on building them a one-story house closer to Dallas, but Daniel all but chewed my head off at the suggestion.

So we’re still negotiating.

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