Page 27 (1/2)

I’irl see, she’s the only one for

Forever

I drive around the city in a sobbing, wretched ht now, not when my heart is broken in a million pieces and every street holds aback in that house--on the porch where he kissed hed--is too o the only place I can think of, the one place I’ll always be safe

My brother

"Brit?" Juliet opens the door and gasps, finding me dazed on her doorstep, so heartbroken I can barely stand straight "Oh God, Brit, what happened?"

"It’s over," I whisper helplessly "He’s gone"

The grief has finally left , the pain into consume me completely I h for hih to , stroking uidesher settlea blanket around my shoulders "Eet you a drink? Some tea Tell me what you need"

"Hunter," I hiccup, a fresh wave of tears slipping free "He’s all I ever need"

Juliet presses her lips together "OK then, whiskey it is"

She fetches a bottle and pours , and take another I hold lass out for more

Juliet wavers

"I can’t take it," I tell her, pleading "Please, just o away"

"Oh, baby," Juliet puts the bottle aside, and pulls ainst her shoulder, her ar that helps is ti every terrible word fro victory in Ca of all: theback toin his life anymore

I cry for what feels like forever, but my body can only take sobut an ee and a sharp ache in my head

"Better?" Juliet asks softly, when I finally stop

I nod, sniffling She finds ets up "I’llroo the fresh paint on theframes, and new photos fra here a couple of months, but already, it feels like a hoh the open s, and in the kitchen, the radio is playing a country station Juliet loves

A sound co into the roo on He sees es, his dark eyes full of concern "Oh, Brit"

I hold out ain, and just like he always did, Eht, wishing ere back in ti over was so ripped E a way to o beat the hell out of the boys in school

"I’ll kill hi back to look atkill him"

I shake my head "No, please, it won’t help You can’t fix this"

Emerson scowls "I can fix that pretty-boy face of his"

"Emerson, no!" I protest louder "It won’t, it won’t , seeing murder in his eyes "Please, Eood reason why not" Emerson folds his arms

"Because I love hi beat, Eas Juliet comes back in with a tray of tea and cookies

"Are you sure this isn’t so the tray down on the coffee table "Maybe if you both cool down, and have a chance to talk--"

"There’s no point" I stop her, before she can pullreally does work out in the end "NoThis is what always happens," I explain, broken and ashah for them to love I never have been They always leave in the end Hunter, Moe a look over my head

"I have to pick up souys talk, and then I’ll be back to make dinner I’ll make up the spare room, and you can sleep here"

"It’s fine," I reply, not wanting to i," Juliet says firroceries while I’ives me a warm smile and a kiss on the cheek, then Emerson walks with her to the door They talk quietly for a oodbye It’s a brief e, but the love between theain

I want it, so bad What I thought I had with Hunter What my brother shares with Juliet That That forever, all-in, everything kind of love