Love Ends One Day

years for his firs

hesitation, "Mar

left fo

or me like a

ho once adored h

tment for nearly two weeks. That d

d thrilled. "Sam

nt and gave me a

here for a file." He turned and le

t dwindled. The already quiet

esitate. "Margot, we're done. Rachel's b

erred me to another departme

they were the golden c

ice joke, the di

ful sid

rs ago, I poured everything

financial knowledge. I graduated top of my class

alled me

mirked. "Margot, you're like a

stubbornly, "Then I'll be that

drunken night when he mistook m

night, but he calle

p, tasting

a check for a hundred thousan

don't want money. I

moment, then shrugged. "Sui

we were boss and subordinate. By ni

lationship las

when his true love

t without a fl

"Rachel can't be

got, I waited years for her. I won't let her go t

ss as Samson show guilt, my express

itten, begging its

roke down and w

and houses lit

hts glowed, bu

myself, "It's fine, Margot. You've been aband

tting married this year. Send over a hundr

ka

mas. Your cousin's fiancée is stayi

t i

ot, we raised y

eling lonelie

up in my uncle's house. Times were

n I took an extra piece of meat, their grumbling if I left

roof made me sens

sun, bringing ligh

ton University, Samson w

students fawned over

th a shabby, poor

gage across campus unti

melled faintly of fresh herbs. "Co

s looks. I froze, my heart

peak to him, ju

tudent council p

s Aventon's golden girl. T

es for three years, my cr

loved Samson. I joined his

ntless people adored hi

y in class, cheered l

relentlessly, earning eve

felt life was so

s a waitress at a bar nea

m, heavy makeup, and

, pushing drinks

white shirt, frowning as he scrolled on h

m along, and he ra

gorgeous, why skip our t

nd approached. "W

ice, swe

eyes met, and my heart skipped.

n eyes flicked over me, then

d with disa

at another table grabbed my wris

d. "Slut, you dress like that to

hes. I stood, humilia

watched,

od. "Enough, Sh

neered. "What, Samson? Playin

ce darkened

ying. The bar erupted

nd stormed out, yelling

him. "Why mess with tha

son noticed me

Get back to school. They'r

He remembered

he mysterious bar girl became a r

ung in my do

, eyeing the fabric, said, "Where

"Nice work, Margot.

off, unsure h

a minor demerit and a

to return his jacket and saw Samson

ickedly and dra

ising his face. He forced whi

golden boy live-stre

d us in a c

ard Samson's ragged breat

atched fro

"Samson, ar

eins bulging. "I'm fine. Whatev

I hadn't taken anything, bu

g lashes brushed

against my ear, "Sta

aced. My l

d, grinning wildly. "Let's s

to the wall, and tossed me

lur. Leaving the s

ched our shadows. Streetlamps ca

"Margot, back at school, w

ss was already out.

u, Samson." It was our

llowed him quietly, r

r first true talk w

d like wildfire

d and whisper

tes appeared i

tes shu

girl who kis

like a se

Rach

"Margot, is Samson re

"No, he was j

believe you? Rachel and Sam

I never meant to rui

. "Margot, can you explain to Rachel for me? S

o broken. Only Rachel c

re him. "I'll talk

packing her things. The man

ed the moment

explained, she r

d nothing wrong. And I don't love Samson. If he hadn't been so good to me, I wouldn't have stayed so

hold the man's hand, the

d the truth cou

if I'd explained.

him Rachel left

on University. I became t

ed, he demanded, "Rachel's gone. Happy now? Wha

ess. How could I tell him the p

et lost, hurlin

cut like

im, picking up bottles, making hangover soup,

, his personality shift

ily business, still

g me shameless, I fough

mpany knew I was S

miliate me

stern, no longer the spirited man he was. People s

ined to be discarded like a drowne

latched onto

me once and se

er? Samson will get bored

never last. Laughabl

, Samson wasn'

ed, we went grocery shopping

in bed, wa

, if I got pregnant someday

. He avoided my hopeful

, as he left, he

soft I almost tho

lasted

rds "Samson, I'm pregnant"