r the brilliant spark to punch through. A foul blast of brimstone swept from the portal then th

again, block by block. When the black-and-white floor rose to meet the slick b

of her heels were like a hundred tiny horses gall

r. “You know, our parents spent the evening planning your future with that boy, Tessa. For a girl who d

best to push it back as she lifted herself on her tipt

her. “Oh, yes, they fucking did. I sat there and listened to every goddamn word. I

r marvel at her reflection as a sigh came from

ng anything new, she twisted her lips and shook h

lf because he couldn’t fathom what she was asking. “Yeah, you look a lot dumb

ng her arms over her chest, she arched her brow and turned on her heel

lled together, and she whistled their song, still drunk on the flav

r vision. Her stray psychic abilities dropped brief hints of things to come som

layed the night in her head. The weakness in her knees returned a

adio that sat in her window. When she noticed the pink book with a bow attached

icked it open. ‘You are old enough for secrets now but trust no one

she shuffled to the metal bistro set outside. She slumped down at the

k wandered through the park and swore ne

kness and snapped. The red orb of light rose from his palm and illuminated t

he pages easily as she told her diary her first grown-up bit of juicy gossip

her name in every combination possible across the first few pag

every cruel word she ever uttered to them. “I’m sorry. I know I’m not worthy after

faced her door, he pushed his fingertips

s heart and rolled his teary eyes up to the moon that he caught her prayin

outh and yawned into the night. As her little balled fists stretched o

s as she walked to the door. He pressed his fingers to his lips and

ng herself down on her soft, white

herself, and her eyes rolled over towards the moon poking through her curtains as she

s mind. If she needed him, he would be so far, and he hated himself for it. His con

d down on his shoulder. The teary-eyed boy tried to twist from his fa

nees dipped to look into his eyes. “The wheels a

ce. “How can I just leave her there? Any of them? What if he…” Unable to even speak the ugliness in

er soon.” His treachery seeds were planted deep within his son’s pure heart, and Omar watered them with his false affections. “You are a

iggled no matter how he tried to push them shut. “Thank you, Father.” He glanced back over his shoulder in time to se