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His lips find "

I feel a sudden rush of cold air as Emerson steps back away fro at me His face is harshly set, a cruel sasp, hua to prove so away as quickly as it came Instead, it’s replaced with fury

"You assle!" I yell, shoving hihs, hard andI can’t i after the sirl, I realize, sha jerk!" I screaer "Get away from me!"

Emerson backs off, hands raised in surrender His expression is er: so harsh and remote

I fumble ain,The door finally opens, and I slide into the seat I slaine to life I speed away, tires squealing, but as I roar out of the parking lot, I can’t resist one last look back in the rearview mirror

Eo

I force ain, but I can’t keep the tears back any longer They spill down uished Pain floods my chest, a wretched ache

That isn’t the man I fell in love with

The realization is a fresh blow The man who taunted me, so cruel, he’s not the Ee, sure, but he was always playful, so full of sharp energy and restless determination The man back there was darker, bitter, battle-scarred He looked ata perverse satisfaction from my humiliation the old Emerson would never have dreamed

What happened to turn him into this person? Unease bubble to the surface of my mind, whispers I can’t hold back

What if it’s all h the night, I lay awake in the single guest bedroo the hu lot Over and over, I see the h stubble of his cheek scratch againstout to him