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"I know, honey…boy, do I know I don’t ever want to take that away from you, but I want you to live with the truth of the situation and be realistic False hope hasany hope at all"

This was a lot for a seventeen-year-old to deal with She was at an age where her greatest worry should have been whether the boy she crushed on liked her back, and yet here she was dealing with pain that should never have been inflicted in the first place

She listened to what I said, and then she placed her head back oneach other while dealing with our own thoughts She cried, but I stayed strong for her After not having a mother to care for her all these years, I wanted to be there for her in that capacity And ave theht about themselves, and in this moment, I didn’t want to think about myself, and what I needed If I did, I kneould fall apart completely My mother had torn the last shred of hope froht When I finally got ho, warm shower and let my tears fall

Each tear sliced down my cheek with the pain of rejection, abandonment and love that had never been returned

Toht I would let it all consuoodbye to my mother

26

Griff

Fuck

I re-read Sophia’s text

Sophia: I’an okay?

She hadn’t replied and when I’d called, she hadn’t answered Since she’d let an had phoned her in distress, I’d been concerned The worry in Sophia’s voice had been enough to worry me I’d made her promise she’d let me knohen she was home so I knew she was safe To not hear back frorabbed my keys and headed out to my bike

When I pulled up outside Sophia’s house a little while later, I was surprised to find it in coht away, she liked to keep one light on in the house It was one of her quirky things she did – she’d toldthat had carried over froo

I used ht for her bedroo on her bathroom floor, my heart crashed into my chest She lay in the dark and wailed, and I felt every ounce of her pain Her hurt engulfed her to the point she didn’t hear me come in When I crouched next to her, and placed my hand on her shoulder, her head snapped up, and she stared at h eyes I wasn’t sure even saw me

Grief