AI

er like

ertain the world owed him something. Entitled. Self

that was the only thing

helped her plan this wedding. I told my

asn't s

back of my neck and sent a shiver down my spine. I pulled my arms tigh

im just be r

ill clung to me like static. I tried to shake

's suite

ht. Once, then

No. Wher

sed low against the city. Rain tapped steadily agai

saw M

is ear. His knuckles had gone white. His shoulders were hun

ps. That was all it took be

ou-I can'

aker, too loud, too raw. The ha

pressed to his ear, like he could so

y alrea

d. "You should've said you don't lo

. The corridor. The

think. My legs felt numb

aid. His voice broke, louder th

! I can't face her!" Andrew's

ilence closed in aroun

ng left to say. Then slowly, he lowered it to his side. When he tu

I

the way his expression unraveled, by the

p to cover it, but it was no use. The sound

e that's not what I think it is. Tell me this i

clung to his jacket, my fists gripping the fabric like it might hold me up. M

r. "This is... it's cruel. She going to need you, es

s. "You're too good a fri

er. His arms around me were the only

were shaking. My face soaked. My chest a

ell her. She

houlder. He didn't speak. He didn't hav

dragged like cement. My legs

ong fo

My fingers hovered over the doork

fall apart

tears, and I ope

O

uiet. Too still. S

de had been wound too far. Claire had gone t

gh it. Each second dragged longer than the last

e knob

almost hit me. Almost. But i

in. And the look on her

e she wanted to speak, but nothing c

was small. "What is

s were glassy, brimming, and locked o

eady

pulled low

say it. Don't let this

she said quietly.

air shifted. It got

y now, even though I coul

n everything ins

"He's not coming. He sai

loor

n't register. My body hit the ground, but

This isn

d me. Then a sound ripped from my throat. Harsh. Un

hold it together. My heart slammed

breathe.

to the folds of my dress and held o

s someo

h my skull. Over and

ch flipped. I gagged, empty. My hands shook

dn't

. She wrapped her arms around me, held

couldn't speak. Couldn't c

. He doesn

ony, the vows, the life after. It all shatter

nutes stretched and blurred. Maybe it

ut they slowed. I lay there, curled up, my dress twisted and wri

of place. My cheeks wer

ind my ear. She moved slowly, like even

," she whispered. Her voice wavere

ood. Paused for a beat. And slipped out of the roo

dn't

oul

acing all those eyes and whispers, all those

e this. They'll know. They'

hed myself off the floor, my legs trembling beneath me. I tore the ve

into the hall

hollow. Once, they had meant vows and a future. Now, they held noth

ain exit. Heavy. Still. Lea

em, my breath shal

othing but the echo of

nything either. But at le

urn

in front of me like

s supposed to have, and everyt

self move. One step. Then another. I reached for the hand

ld, soaking me insta

t wal

y the grief from my

ed. Umbrellas tilted. Their faces were

beneath me, heav

? Where

dn't

re, someone else was

r not, we were already m