V

~

clothes spilling out in a way that tells me the che

the fifth time, "You slapped, splas

rom the cardboard box I was throwing m

a word I use for throwing

d this word re

ted a billionaire. No, scratch that. You assaulted the bil

y, even though I feel my hands shakin

ds up, "He makes them look po

but I need to get out of this apartment first, before The M

d whipped behind me and my heart hammered at a pace that wasn't normal. It was the first time in a long ti

inc

inc

inc

broke and I had to make the rest of the journey here barefoot

e. To make my next smart decision. My rent is due, and The Madame

s screams haunted us through the night before he "went away." When I asked The Madame where, she gave th

ting for me if I don't pay off my rent

amped space with me, dodging little droplets from the ceiling and packi

. Plus, even if she offered me a room, I'd never live with anyone ever again. The Incident has

" I tell Evelyn, throwing my box with the other packed th

my box completely, fixin

ut I do know a lot about your present. You run and hide whenever you face some crazy situation. This is the third time I've help

guarded heart, and as much as I want to tell Evie I'l

a world that Leon

ng my thoughts of any pan

ntbrushes. All I own now sits haphazardly in two boxes, "I want to bel

ave some faith in him, but I don't

t just because she brought up the divorce, bu

ht. Beautifu

nts and hoping I'm never caught

ngry at the shake in my voice, "His ex-wi

e at his diner, and I was no longer too miserable from The Incident to watch tv, M

Leonel had been a serial cheat and drunk throughout their marriage. The guy s

, and how he bought my paintings, even if just to get me off stage. Somethin

do, but I can't worry right now. When I get out of here Ev

anxiously runs a hand through

des, "Let's just ge

ether we rush out with my two boxes

at I fold my hands over my chest and reali

the car door behind me as

let it go, but that necklace is the

ely feel under the springy mattress u

Bi

ht now looking at it makes my heart flutter with guilt. I wonder what mum wou

think about it because the doo

reflex I reach into my

r tsk of The Madame in the livin

room? Oh, and leave your knife. I