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Aria is silent for a long moment “No But a weak part of ”

“Well, I’ to listen to the weak part of myself, either,” I whisper “I can’t It’s too painful to hope and…” I shakehard “Better to be done with it, once and for all”

“Done with hope?” Aria’s eyes fill with tears again, as if she’s just now realizing what she did when she decided to show me the lease “What about the best is yet to coht? That can be true for you, too”

I’ain feels like a Herculean effort “Ifor that kind of happiness”

I’m done with love, I think to e up the steps into the house

This tio, as if she can sense that the battle is over, and this time, everyone has lost

Chapter 24

Mason

I don’t get wasted Never Not even in college

I’ll have a few beers with friends, ahappy hour, or ith dinner, but I don’t drink to get drunk or to escape my problems

I had enough stepfathers who Drank with a capital D to know that getting smashed only creates new proble to escape is still there, and all you have to show for your trouble is a sour sto head, and an increased risk of liver disease

I know better

I absolutely do