OPE'S

ad had

in to her why I felt so broken. I just... was. My world had crumbled, and Alistair had ripped my heart out without even givi

sn't hav

y room, wearing that look that meant

d enough, get you

hands on

coming w

off me before I could

. She dragged me into the shower, threw som

ting oursel

t giving me a cha

the one with the best chocolate croissants in town. An

e, even though we had nowhere specific to be. That was just Riley, they hyper active

cross from her, ordering me a cappuccino I

exactly

t harsh, just straightforward. She'd had en

ually going

ern echo

napkin, my fingers fidgeting.

... it's not

avoiding

I don't know what to do. I lost

ha

se, disbelief fla

say anything abo

lot's been happening, and I wa

p of my cappuccino, forcing

erywhere, but no one's hiring. Every rejectio

er temples, ex

one of the hardest workers I

ight of it all pre

oke, unemployed, and unlovable. Maybe I shoul

lf back from snapping at me. Instead, she r

ut together. But you have to stop beating yourself up. Li

st tig

e I'm failing. Like nothing I do is en

t. You're not a failure. Yeah, you got knocked down, b

er. I really did. But

if I can't

ispe

pull myself out

wil

without h

then, I've got your back. We'll figure out the job situa

ing her say it made me fee

job applications fall through, and now Alistair dumps me. Ma

ed, throwin

text and running off like some pussy hiding under his mommy's ski

nds tighter, offer

e just sucks. But that doesn't mean it's over. This is just

't know how to move forward, but mayb

ks, R

my voice ba

menti

schievous gr

croissants and figure o

tely drowning anymore. Riley had somehow pulled me back from the edge, and for

made it difficult. People pushed and

shed past, bumping into me. Hot

hi

, jerking ba

ee gettin

h my shirt. It wasn't burning, but it was hot enough t

! Ho

lf. My feets lost its coordinates an

nd, strong hands grabbed me

, hands on her hips as she turne

g, jackass! You're not t

so so

ed, looking gen

I didn't

edly. I on the other hand wasn't paying attention anymore. The coff

A weird, tingling sensation ran down my s

ide me who had also been hi

th broad shoulders and a build that made it clear he took care of himself. His black hair had hints of silver at

the h

s now ruined, stained brown like a tie and d

ing at each other with my

n... looked exa