Page 19 (1/2)

She cutsI’h for you to trust me or feel the same way I do about you"

My body is a crackedpoint My chest, my head and the rest of h for lass door and steps onto the balcony It’s a nice room Way nicer than I could afford without the at irl what I feel What’s in my head Maybe she can block out Mike’s voice Hell, block outoff the table, I follow her My hands are sweating and I’ hard, but when I try to speak, my voice hardly comes out "How can you think that?" How can you n not know you’re

"How can I not?" She doesn’t bother to turn around She’s looking out over the edge of the balcony A wind slides over her,her hair blow "NoNever the right key to get inside you"

Suddenly, I’hten My heart pounds harder My head hurts I’m pissed at Mike At Mom At who the hell ever my dad is I’m pissed at me

And when my mouth opens, I can’t hold it back I don’t know if I want to stop all the words that start to pour out

"What do you want me to tell you, Priscilla? That my dad is an asshole who hateshow I’? That I’? That he calls me every na

"Mymom, who is supposed to love me and take care of me, but she loved him more!

"Do you want to hear about how his voice is always insure I know my friends are better than me and he’s better than me That the whole damn world is better thanit!"

I feel like I’ to burst out offro

"I broke my hand on his face when he told me he isn’t even er has tortured me my whole life and ive a shit aboutaddress in o? What kind of man does that?"

At this she turns Her eyes are red, swollen, as tears pour down her face I want to kiss thery at her for them at the same time

"Don’t you do that Don’t look at me like you feel sorry for me Not you, Priscilla That’s exactly what I don’t want!"

I try to turn away, but she grabs ! I don’t care what he says, he’s wrong about you, Jaden How can you not see how incredible you are?"

Her words make me suck in a deep breath because I want them to be true I want to use them to battle his, to break them down and stab them until only hers remain, but his have a harder punch Yell louder

"Do you not see how much Sebastian loves you? He’s your best friend It’s killing hi And Aspen? You stuck up for her when Bastian hurt her You stood by her How uys would do that, Jay? How many would back up their best friend’s ex, even if she was right?"

I shake my head "Anyone would have! He hurt her and I knew he cared about her That was nothing"

She takes a step toward

"It was soer, too"

"Not your parents"

Another step closer

"That’s their problee heart You--"

"They didn’t want ain The words are broken and painful and I hate them, but they’re true

Another step I feel her and smell her

"I want you I need you to know that Those other people--they don’t know you Or they won’t see you I see you To ? All those words ht And she sees ht that about her? "Why? Why me?"

I don’t even have to explain ets it Gets me "Because you’re you Because you’d hurt yourself before you’d hurt someone else Because you’re an awesoht for me, and took care of e to lift my hand to cup her cheek and brush away so the one to wipe her tears That alone

Priscilla covers ’s the same without you, Jay Senior year wasn’t the same This trip wouldn’t have been the sa--the thought that I can make a difference or people can care about me that much I don’t know if I believe it, but I knoant to I want to

I jump when a loud boom explodes and then reds and blues fill the sky The fireworks fronite the sky, the sanite inside me

Priscilla turns around and leans into ainst ht as I can