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I shut the door behind ht My throat is so tight and dry that I can’t s Hysteria pushes its way through et out of here and never coo back to my room, find my phone, and press in the numbers for Emma I have to tell her even if I don’t want to If she co happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself Em’s voicemail picks up, since she’s still at work

I try to say it briefly, but as I’, I think that I sound way too scared for what happened So so nasty on my mirror?

So e the reason for the call and tell her a raccoon got in and to be careful when she gets ho up and tap my phone For some reason, I can’t say it I can’t admit what happened, yet At the saht, alone I have to do so He picks up on the second ring "Edward?"

His voice sounds surprised, "Anna? What’s going on?"

"Any chance you could come over later? I have an appointment and I don’t want Em alone here"

He asks what happened I tell hie I don’t knohere it came from and the more I think about it, the less likely it seems that it came down the chimney I wonder if the perv threw it in the apart, but I don’t respond I blink, looking at my mirror

"I’ll head over now, okay? You sound out of sorts" I start to protest, but he’s gone I look at one black

I run to the kitchen and get the Windex I scrub away the letters before anyone else can see them I pick up myThe one that was used to write on the one I can’t think about it I need Cole My lue and doesn’t want to think My thoughts are sluggish The shakes calm down to a small tremor I fold my arms overfor signs of entry, but there is nothing Just the hole in the old chimney That fireplace was part of the reason e chose this aparth it doesn’t work, the hearth is really cute I stare at the busted up wood and the door buzzes

I check to make sure it’s Edward first, and then let him in His dark hair is wet like he just took a shower He’s wearing jeans with a cream colored shirt that’s tucked in neatly at his waist He looks me over once "What’s the matter?"

His question makes me want to cry, but I can’t say it It sounds stupid I’ because there was a nasty word onbecause I’ my botto’s wrong, just frazzled That raccoon scared the hell out ofready Maybe you can seal up the fireplace? It looks like he came in that way" Lies, lies, lies The pit of

Edward nods and walks away fro room I return to my bedroom and feel a little bit better since I’s and then the sound of wood snapping as he cleans up

I pull the heated flat iron through my hair, careful not to burn myself When I finish, I look like a different person I put on a different outfit than I originally intended I grab a pair of black leather pants and a tight tank I putto hide the fear in ht with Cole He already has too much on his plate, and in comparison, this seems silly

Edraps his knuckles onme as I apply a coat of mascara "It’s boarded up"

"Thanks," I say, trying not to stab lance at hiets here?" I look at the oop My hand shakes slightly I rest it on the dresser and take a breath Why can’t I calainst the door frame and folds his ar to cooperate unless he knohat’s going on "What’s this about, Anna? I can tell so you Just tell me Maybe I can fix it" His eyes burn a hole in the side ofHe likes that au natural thing going on

"I don’t want to get into it noard" I finish and put the make up back in my drawer I turn to him and say, "Please, do this?"

Edward nods once, but his eyes don’t leave h et dressed to have sex with someone else The way he looksently takes me by the elbow and stops me I turn toward hiht?" he asks "We may not be lovers anymore, but I hope you still think of ers on ers slip away I want to say that ere never lovers, but I knohere he wants this conversation to go, and I don’t want to rehash the past I want to get to Cole and stay with him until all my apprehension fades away

I smile and say, "Of course, I do Like you even need to ask that, Edward? I could have called anyone, but I called you"

I walk down the hall and grab rab o His eyes are downcast,him look vulnerable "You only called me because I’m Em’s brother If it was just you here, alone, we both knoho you would have called" He means Cole

"But I didn’t I called you You’re here now And I could have called him anyway, but I didn’t"

Edward looks at htly, "You didn’t tell him?"