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Jace clears this throat and tells ood" Then he turns on his heel and leaves

Pande questions from all sides and anxiety fills me

I step back and shout, "Can everyone shut the fuck up?"

My dad gasps and says, "Valentina, you no be rude you friends like that!"

I nod ain, "Can everyone please shut the fuck up?" My dad nods his head in a that’s better motion I continue, "I know you must all have questions but I’m in no mood to answer theht now is go to bed"

I kiss my father’s cheek and ask, "You need a place to stay or are you heading hoo home Look" He points to my friends and whispers, "You no need me"

I take dad’s hand, squeeze it, and I tell him, "I’ll always need you, Ta Always"

Then I head down the hall toeveryone behind

I lay on my bed tenin the pizza that Nik brought and sit on uys left but you , doll"

Nat asks, "Is tonight a ‘Night at the Roxbury’ kind of night? Or ht?"

Lola replies, "I thought it wasYou Do’ kind of…"

I cut her off with, "You’re all wrong It’s a ‘Zoolander’ kind of night"

They all laugh and clap I sit up on the bed and bow lad they didn’t leave

We spend the night eating pizza and watching ‘Zoolander’, quoting theour heads off

Friendships like these are hard to come by I believe if you can count your true friends on your one hand you’re blessed I’d rather have three true friends than three hundred acquaintances

Mimi and Lola leave after the ht I was so worried about seeing Jace but now all I can think is Jace who?

Just as I’ asleep, my phone buzzes on the bedside cabinet I read the text and chuckle

Nik: Would rather be in your bed tonight but don’t want another freaky sleepover with Nat

Me: Haha… I’ht

Nik: Me too, baby I would tell you I love you but I’ive you tiht

Nik: Love you more, Tina Sweet dreams

I smile and putit I love Nik

Seeing Jace tonight brought back the same old memories yet somehow they felt different There isn’t as

You’re healing

The likelihood of a person finding true love is few and far between

Who am I to deny it when I find it?

Tomorrow is a new day

I ith a spring in et ready for work and a Nik today

Put the past where it belongs and move on is what my mom always told me You see, when dad first met my mom they were just kids My dad was a mean little sucker and called mom fat

Yep

Ever the charmer So, dad meets mom for a second tieous Dad shadowed her like a lost puppy, begging for a date Mom refused Dad followed her everywhere til she said yes He would camp out in front of her work and walk her to her car when she came out He would rando and leave sweet notes on her car

I call this stalking Dad calls this romance

The point of this story is my mom may never have fallen with my dad if she didn’t irl So that’s what I’ on

I drive to ith the intention of going straight to see Nik I park uard when hands grab at ht aroundme by the waist

I shriek into his hand but it sounds small and muffled I’m pulled back into a van I lose a shoe on the street The man holds me still as I screech and scratch at his hands I can’t see him but he’s tall I push my head forward a little and slam it back into his chin He yells, "FUCK!"

I know that voice

He covers my mouth with cloth A huff and puff from exertion and I’m suddenly weaker

So tired

I feel sleepy

Lights out

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The beginning of the end

Theon Tina to get into work so I can go squeeze her a little

She told oodnight sleep I’ve had since theabout Omarr

I’m amazed that her douche ex-boyfriend had the nerve to show up at her place I wasn’t sure why he was there at first but as soon as I mentioned money, he blanched

Stupid asshole

Just as I get up and make my way down the hall to the security roo a shoe She looks shaken Her eyes are red and puffy She sees

I pull her into a hug and say, "Whoa, there What’s happened, babe?"

She sputters her response, "Tina was really l--late for work so I ent to ch--check for her car Her car was th--there and it was open, Nik Her shoe was on the floor and her b--bag was still in the car She’s gone, Nik"

My stomach drops

No God, no

I ask, "Her cell?"

She responds, "Still in her bag It looks like she struggled, Nik There was a little blood on the ground and her shoe was on the road I don’t think it was Tina’s blood because it was only a few drops, if it were Tina there would’ve been more I’ve seen her bleed from the smallest cut She bleeds like a faucet"

Two options here

Jace the asshole snatched her up to get money out of her or Omarr has her

I really hope it’s Jace I don’t think he’d hurt her, he doesn’t look the type O Tina

I tell Nat, "I need Jace’s cell nuets it I hope he hasn’t changed his number I call from her cell

I’m stunned when Jace answers, "Tina?"

I bark into the phone, "If Tina is with you, you better tell me you piece of shit"