Chapter 8

He smiled at me.

Like he was doing me a massive favor.

It made my stomach turn.

I wanted my own apartment. Not a love nest.

But in his head?

I was just a desperate groupie. A sure thing.

He aimed for my lips.

I turned my head.

He kissed empty air.

He froze.

The nice-guy mask vanished.

His patience was gone.

"Go to the cabin. Cool off."

He spun on his heel.

Walked right back into the party.

Didn't even look back.

My chest felt entirely hollow.

I didn't go to the cabin.

I called an Uber and went straight home.

The house was dark and empty.

Sleep was a joke.

I tore my bedroom apart.

Dragged out every single memory of him.

His old varsity jacket. He wrapped me in it when I caught the flu.

The giant carnival bear. He spent fifty bucks winning it for me.

The limited-edition Jordans. He camped out all night to buy them.

A pile of garbage in the middle of my floor.

My throat tightened.

It wasn't just a five-year crush dying tonight.

It was my entire childhood. Gone.

I shoved it all into heavy black trash bags.

The sun crept through the blinds.

I collapsed onto my bare mattress.

Total blackout.

My phone buzzed at noon.

Dad.

We didn't need a long talk.

He read right between the lines.

"So, how do we feel about Paris for your birthday?"