Page 22 of Forever Cursed

Walls begin to cement around my heart, and I feel myself become an emotionless shell. Pushing down my feelings for Chrissy, I focus on the past. I remember what happened the last time my heart broke. My mother left a lasting effect on me. She taught me not to love too deeply, and not to trust too easily. If she can leave her son without a second thought, who’s to say Chrissy won’t do the same thing?

Peering over at my Wildflower one last time, I work on memorizing her smile, her curls, and her rosy cheeks. I internalize her laugh and voice. Chrissy Willows is someone worthy of love, and I’m unsure if I can provide that to her. No matter how much I want to.

“Life is full of disappointments,” I respond coldly.

Ash sighs and rakes his hand through his hair. “Only if you allow it.”

Chapter Twelve

Chrissy

It’s finally time. I’ve been waiting for this day for months. Walking across the Castle Brook campus, a sense of drive pushes me through the humidity. I’m at the top of my class in my major, and because of that, I got an exclusive invitation for a mentorship program this summer. Not only will it boost my résumé when I graduate, but it’s also an amazing opportunity to start helping those who need assistance with their mental health.

I’m not sure which field of psychology I’ll pursue after next May. I’ve been toying with becoming a child psychologist or helping teens and young adults, but nothing has called to me yet. I’m hoping this program will help me figure out where I’m meant to be.

Cool air rushes me when I open the humanities building door. I navigate the halls like a pro, not caring about the frizz that has taken over my hair. It’s a good thing I pulled it back into a neat bun this morning. If I didn’t, it would be three times its normal size.

Holding my notebook close to my chest, I stroll inside the classroom and sit near the middle. A few other familiar faces are already in the room, but no one I’m acquainted with. Thisis perfect; I need to take this mentorship seriously, and I don’t need any distractions.

“Oh, thank god, you’re here,” a familiar voice sighs.

A girl I recognize sits to my right. Raina has dark auburn hair and the kindest hazel eyes I’ve ever seen. She reminds me of Gwen, which makes me adore her even more.

Rubbing her stomach, Raina leans back in her chair and tries to breathe out her nerves.

“Have you tried ginger ale?” I ask.

Glancing over at me, she arches her right eyebrow in confusion.

“For the nerves. My best friend swears by it.”

“That’s one of the most genius things I’ve ever heard.” Raina nods to herself, which is another gesture that reminds me of Gwen.

I met Raina last semester. We shared statistics and behavior science classes. We’re both majoring in psychology but specializing in behavioral health. I’m surprised we didn’t run into one another sooner.

“How has your summer break been so far?” I try to distract her.

“Good. I’ve been hiding inside where the air-conditioning is most days, watching way too much TV and playing way too many video games.” Her response makes me smile.

Raina and Gwen would make great friends. I’ll have to introduce them to each other one day.

“How about you?”

“I’ve been crashing at my friend’s boyfriend’s house. They have a pool, and it gives me an excuse to hang out with her. I plan on heading back once this is done for the day.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

“It would be even more wonderful if my brother and his friend would stop crashing as well...” I groan as I roll my eyes.

Rome has been a sore topic. Six days ago, I found myself in Rome’s shirt. He tracked me down because not only did Gwen’s plan work, it workedtoowell. I merely wanted to see if I could make Rome crave my attention. And boy, not only did I rile his desire, we almost kissed.

I can still feel his bare stomach on mine. The rush of chills that ravished my skin, the heat that pooled in my core. Sharing the same oxygen as him was intoxicating, and I wanted nothing more than to close the gap. I would have, too, if Rome hadn’t brought my brother up.

He was right in the end. I was lying to myself when I said I didn’t care what Zack thought. Zack has a record streak for freaking out about guys I date. He’s the reason I keep my love life a secret. I know he worries because he cares, but I can’t let his worry stop me from possibly finding love one day.

I want to explore things with Rome, but he was right when he said he couldn’t do that to his best friend. I just wish he would stop showing up unexpectedly. These past few days, he and Zack have been glued at the hip. If Zack shows up out of the blue, so does Rome. If Rome shows up to raid the fridge, Zack isn’t too far behind.

I tried not to let what happened between us cause a rift, but it naturally occurred. I peeked around every corner, scanning rooms before entering them. I don’t want us to feel awkward around one another, but this is something that needs time to mend. I’m sure we can get back to where we were. Hopefully...

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