na'

s come up to his chest - light, hesitant - a

re inches

e. Doesn't fli

I

my mouth

not

ot pas

- a kiss wi

I have to. Like something is tugging behind m

h catches

ing in his eyes has shifted. It

hing that's danger

me like a wave I did

Twice. My lips.

hap

re I'll puke in front of all of these people. In front of the blinding lights, the throng o

ssed

him. I closed the d

I di

? it's hazy again. That fog. That same crushing fog. That moment when my body reacted bu

then? Why... Di

coiled around mine. Ti

ey applaud. Cameras pop like tiny bombs. Someone is crying somewhere. It isn't me. I

. Anyone. A face that I may recog

. They're too cau

il

btle. Sneaking. Sof

hat is not mine. I hate it. I hate it. But the applause only grows stronger. Loud

doesn't

, the shape of his lips like a sealed envelope. His eyes are straight ahead, stiff,

give myself o

w if I belong to

e doors open, and we glimpse additional cameras, additi

ses my

wav

like a prize he wo

lamb

, I fear the glass that

-

was to

ifted. The soft thrum of the engine. The

The groom. My hu

hile driving home. Even when I leaned forward-God, why

k inside of me and twisted the strings around

I am back. An

y ancient. His jaw is hard enough to slice through silence. Bu

ck in the seat, cold suddenly. I didn't even k

o

a

tra

ting into my toes, but I barely felt it. My head was throbbing as if it had just been opened up. There was a

. I was

ion what the dev

ly. Without a glance. As if I were frei

even know

kiss

marrie

ven know

tless floor of the mansion

isn't

n't hap

d like it was laughing at me. There were other men in suits, guards, staff wit

se they

his back to me. Just. standing.

elt

t p

it directed me about like

o

ut-of-n

I lo

tired!" I

s tu

, more disheveled, as if the words thems

Too loud. Too biting. The laugh of someone

ng to shoo away demons. "I don't even know who

om did

st wa

ade it all

id think I wanted to kiss you?! Huh? You thought I wanted to have on this - this costum

ie

the house itself was

ing, mascara streaking down my face. "

did

t stoo

oth

ouc

nch, not to intervene. But I could sense t

ore me

pting to remove it like it was on fire. "Take it back! Take this aw

tum

own onto

Wet. And for a split second I did n

ack up and glanced

tanding

l st

a c

s the ente

aybe

n air. You know? Like when a door swings open i

s standing

t was raw and my eyes were burning and I ha

ially

en

his

in m

o rest, Lad

. No. That woul

as k

ki

at made it

woman-mid-forties maybe, hair in a bun so tight i

me?" I snarled. My voice