rmurs died down, replaced by an expectant, suffocating silence.

frozen in

ent smile on his face. The crowd watched him, a ripple

he room until they met mine. A flicker of so

t me, past the empty chair next to m

straight t

gasped, her hands flying to her mout

for the whole room to hear. "Is this

. He reached out and tucked a stray

ured, his voice laced wi

a collective, unspoken horror. Everyone knew the tr

ly thing I could.

few hesitant claps followed, then a few more, until the room was filled

, and without a backward glanc

a flicker of confusion and fury that quickly v

valet to bring my car, Jessica Hender

I had no idea. Liam told me just last week t

It's not your fault, Jessica. We

Sarah. She came to stand beside me, her arms crossed, glaring in Liam's dir

ll, cold part of my heart. "It

ter! He humi

dy. "He didn't. Because I'm

hand in hand. Brittany was still clutching th

y to confront them, but I put a

" I sai

w on, there will only be o

, not unde

oing to be his sister. Hi

read across her face. "Chloe Miller, you are a g

smile this time.

ar, a sleek black Porsche, pulled up, blockin

out, his voice a lo

said politely. "I

"I said, get in the

her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "Com

back door, and pushed me inside. The door clicked sh

rture. Brittany chattered endlessl

wisting to show him a faint red mark on her s

yes met mine in the rearview mi

voice a low purr. "I'll

She then picked up a strawberry from a container on the

heir cloying performance. It escalated. She fed him another strawberry, t

my stomach twisting int

d to a halt on a dark, deserted stretch of road. He tu

he said, hi

him, confu

of the ca

the cold asphalt. He didn't wait for me to close the do

s numb. As I waited, I heard it. From his car, parked just a hu

on. Brittany's exaggerate

s, a need for an audience, a thrill from the risk

old air felt good on my flushed cheeks. I started walking. It was a long way back to the ci