NE'S

own tears filling my eyes. He was driving slowly, his sleeves rol

swallowing hard. "Why

were

I remembered it. Dee

nto a laugh, but my tears only streamed d

ault you didn't,

friends. Even though his family was much richer than ours, I could remember how

bby then, but he loved to poke fun at me. I hated it back then, and I couldn't

im again. "Did you kn

ned to me briefly. "No.

still have

you want to hear? That I k

illing again. "Maybe you

to be cheated on, and a

shaky now as my chest started to

e cheat? I gave him ever

ybe because I was stupid enough

this. It isn't your fault you

y one who accepted me for who I was before

ked at you with your braids and your stupid pigtails. He never kissed you with your braces on. You have be

ne to the same high school, and I had been invisible through all tho

he hate was spreading through me like black ink on water,

it wasn't as directed to Florian as it

id simply. "And you have

parting. "Maybe I jus

I hated that I knew exactly what he was talking about. The very

ecause I glowed up, I was also realizing that Florian had taken my first ki

the dinner, with Taylor, my brother, Florian, and a few of my friends, we

ad been dared to kiss me. How he had laughed and paid t

ed me up. His knocks on the door prompted me to hide in my closet,

s fingers gently caressing my face, his thumb resting in my

meaning to it. Even though I never explored that dream. That one kiss, a

trusting Damien. It was refusing to explore F

yes wide, my chest heaving.

ible person. Taking advantage of Florian and using hi

f I would do it again,

ping for and how he knew I would take his offer in a heartbeat. I needed something to mend th

hoping he would hear me and hopin

eyes dark and intense, like it had been that n

ushing myself onto him, my hands cupping both sides of

, but he moved his hand, pulling my back to him so my body pressed against his, his fingers adjusting my thigh