Page 114 of Poison Aches

“People.”

“People, huh?” she repeats, watching me carefully. I almost falter—almost—but I hold myself steady because this girl has a strange ability of seeing more than she should.

I don’t care for people reading me, because there’s nothing to read, but for some reason, since I met this girl, she’s looked at me in a way far different from everyone else.

At times, she looks at me like I’m broken, too shattered to fix.

Other times, she tilts her head slightly to the left, with her eyes slightly narrowed, judging me.

But since the Christmas we had a couple of years ago, she hasn’t looked me in the eye at all.

In fact, she has gone out of her way to avoid me, ignore me, stewing in her hate…but today, she’s surprised. And I already know it’s in a bad way.

She wasn’t prepared for this. For me.

The thing in my chest groans, thumps, and groans again in a manner befitting a horrible horror movie theme song.

“Are you going to be honest at all?” she demands.

“Are you?”

“Excuse me?”

“When have I ever lied to you?” I ask her softly.

“When have you ever been honest with me?”

“Whenever you are with me, then I’ll reciprocate.”

“What does that mean?”

“Come on, Angel. Let’s not.”

She’s quiet for a bit. “This isn’t a coincidence, is it?”

“No,” I say. “In fact, I volunteered.”

“Volunteered?”

The truth is, there isn’t much in this world that can stand against me and not many can actually come close enough to threaten me, but there’s still a five-four human somewhere in Westbrook Blues estates with a pissy attitude and a commanding nature.

Her baby daddy is an even bigger jerk that makes sure what his wife wants, his wife gets, all consequences be damned.

So, after I heard Astraea talk about Angel’s impending travel to NYC, I decided to seize the opportunity… after a sudden twisted turn of events, of course.

“You sound surprised,” I state, watching her.

“That you would volunteer for anything that brings you into close proximity with me, how can I not be?” Angel counters, arching her right eyebrow perfectly as she watches me back..

“Why wouldn’t I want to be in close proximity with you, Angel? We literally grew up together.”

The sudden flare of pain in her eyes almost knocks me off my feet.

It’s so brazen, intense, and every bit as all-consuming as she is.

I don’t say anything this time and instead, sink into the seat next to her.

I’m aware that I shouldn’t do this at all.

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