Page 349 of Small Town Firsts

With one hand clutching pills, I grip the edge of the vanity and pull myself back to standing with the other. The reflection staring back at me is the face of a stranger. She looks like me, but different, too. The face in the mirror is how I feel inside—worthless…empty…hollow.

Already gone.

I watch as she raises her hand and jams the pills into her mouth. The plasticky outer-coating quickly gives way to a bitter taste. Her face puckers, and so does mine.

She is me, but she’s more than me. She’s all of my hurt and bitterness and suffering personified. She’s the part of me that’s broken beyond repair—used up and dirty, unwanted and unloved. She’s the voice urging me to end it all. I’ve fought her for so long, but now, my fight is gone.

CHAPTER 41

STERLING

After dancing with Emmy,her body so close, grinding against mine, I want nothing more than to find us somewhere private to go.

Or better yet, home.

But I dragged her out, so I might as well see it through. Although, I'm not even sure why I wanted us to come, other than it being a wildcat tradition.

"Oh, look! There’s Gabe and Zach." I look to where she's pointing, easily finding the blond giant in the crowd. "Wanna go say hi?"

My phone buzzes in my pocket for the fifth time in as many minutes. "You go ahead, baby. I'll wait here," I tell her, keeping my eyes trained on her until she makes it across the room to her friends.

They squish her in a hug and I look away, sliding my phone from my pocket, already knowing who it is. Foolishly, I thought blocking his number would be enough.

Unknown

You brought her to bed... and now you can both lie in it.

Unknown

She stained my sheets red when I choked her, and she turned blue. You took what's mine, now I'm coming for you.

Jesus Christ. He's actually lost his mind.

Unknown

Don't fucking ignore me, Sterling. You owe me.

Unknown

You took from me. You lied to me. What happens next is on you.

Unknown

You have received a video message, tap to play.

I know I shouldn't click the link. I fucking know I shouldn't, but I do.

Anger, bright and hot, burns through me as Emmalyn's body fills my screen. I close the link before the sound can start, my body practically vibrating in rage.

My anger turns to dread as all around me people start checking their phones, nudging the person next to them and sharing their screen.

That dread turns to panic as the guy next to me shows me his screen, confirming my worst fears: the link wasn't only sent to me, it was sent to everyone.

Every single person at this party is now watching what should have been a beautiful andprivatemoment, and to make matters worse, the fucker edited the video to paint my Emmy in the worst light, showing all of her and hardly any of me.

My brain can't even begin to comprehend how Rob pulled this off, but I fucking know it was him, and there will be hell to pay.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" I yell, causing several heads to turn my way.

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