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More than anything, I thought of Fable How mad she’d been when I showed up on her doorstep, but she let me in anyway The way I touched her, how she touched me, the way she always seemed to break down my barriers and see the real me I let her in I wanted to let her in

And then I left her With a note that was rendered pointless because she tried her damnedest to rescue me and I wouldn’t let her She sent me exactly two texts The second one surprised ive up after I didn’t answer the first one

How could I answer it, though? She said all the right things And I would’ve said all the wrong things So it’s better to say nothing at all

She also left me one voicereally fked up, I play it Listen to her soft, tearful voice, those unbelievable words she says to e is finished,to it yet I can’tit’s there, that for one lastthose words and her voice, and pretending she doesn’t exist

"I’ hts "I knothat eventually, you’ll go to her and tell her you’re sorry"

"What if I’less I’in to explain how much of a screwup I am

"Then that’s another issue we’ll have to deal with," she says gently

It goes on like this for another fifteenout into the cold, clear winter afternoon The sun is warm on my skin despite the te for where I parked my truck Harris’s office is don, in a nondescript building, and I hope like hell I don’t see anyone I know The college ca out at the little stores, cafés and coffee shops that line the street

Not like I have many friends, but hell Everyone likes to think they know me No one really does With the exception of one person

"Hey, Callahan, wait up!"

Pausing, I glance overtoward oofy face Jace Hendrix is a pain in the ass but generally a good guy He’s never done , not that any of them ever really have "Hey" I offer hi until he stops just in front oftime, no see," Jace says "You sort of disappeared after that last failure of a gaa sort of fked up over that," I confess

Hell, I can’t believe I just admitted to my failures, but Jace doesn’t seem bothered "Yeah, you and everyone else,this weekend?"

The way Jace brushes off rees with it--blows an’s birthday We’re doing it up right at the new restaurant that just opened a few blocks over Have you heard of it?" Jace looks excited, he’s literally bouncing on his feet and I wonder what the hell is up

"Vaguely" I shrug Like I care The last thing I want is to be social

But then Dr Harris’s words ring through my head How she wantsto be there Got a private roo I haven’t been there yet, but I hear all the waitresses are gorgeous, the drinks are delicious and loaded with alcohol and Logan’s parents arranged for a private rooht’ve been hired out for this et hiles his eyebrows

"Sounds great," I lie It sounds like torture But I need to go At the very least, make a quick appearance and then jaive o?" Jace looks shocked and I knohy I rarely do anything with the guys and especially the last few host

"I’ll be there" I nod, unsure how I’y to ot to do this

"Yeah? Awesouys We’ve missed you Haven’t seen you for a while and we all kno those last few gah on all of us" Jace’s expression is sole my ass

But then I realize he’s sincere Funny how I took full responsibility for those losses when I bet every single one of these guys on uys I can’t wait to see them" The words fall easily fro inabout irl who died because I was too busy fighting with her oddaret I have, that I never fully explained to Fable what happened that day I know she assu around with Adele I would think the saain Whatever she was going to try, I wasn’t interested It was over That was the day I became liberated

And also the day I becauilt

Forever

"See ya around, Drew" Jace waves and turns, whistling as he walks away fro hi like crazy I could be that carefree That etparty co up in a few days

Maybe, just maybe I could loseelse matters but friends and school and parties Doc says I can’t move forward until I face the past

But what the fk does she know?

Chapter Two

She’s all broken inside but no one will ever notice – Unknown

Fable

"So" Owen slurps on the giant thirty-two-ounce soda I bought hias station, where we stopped to fill up my mom’s crap car on the way ho at?"