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“I said I needed a minute.”

“And we gave you a minute before chasing after you, but friends don’t let friends race off alone into the woods while in visible emotional distress.”

Leilani couldn’t help but let out a small laugh even as tears continued to fall.

“Do you want to talk about where your head is?” Rory asked. “Or would you rather just walk in silence for a bit?”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing worth talking about.”

“You don’t seem to think so.”

“It’s stupid.”

“If it’s making you cry, it isn’t stupid.”

She hesitated then sighed. “I know it doesn’t make sense, but I feel like I betrayed Adaze.”

“Why?” Sierra asked.

“Because this whole time I’ve been hanging out with her ex-wife!” she groaned. “I don’t know how I could do that.”

“So what? You didn’t know who she was or that it would make Adaze uncomfortable, even if you did know who she was, then it’s time for a conversation, not this.”

She shook her head. “It can’t be that simple. There had to have been some kind of signs I missed.”

“Even if you did miss something, that doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. If Adaze can’t see that, then that’s her problem.” Sierra sighed. “Like I said, should this have been a conversation, of course, but that doesn’t mean it was okay for her to race off and abandon you here.”

“I just don’t want to lose her.”

“I know, but that isn’t up to you. The ball is in her court. All you can do is wait for her to make a move.”

“Do you think she’ll leave over this?”

Sierra shook her head. “If she does, then she doesn’t know what she’s missing out on, and you deserve better than that.”

“I don’t want better. I want her.”

“I know you do. All we can do is hope she is the kind of person you deserve.”

Leilani cried as her friends rubbed her back. Her world was collapsing around her. She couldn’t imagine a way out, but at least she had them to try and light the way.

16

ADAZE

Adaze sped her car down the empty road that led further from the park and towards town. She hoped she wouldn’t get pulled over. While she wasn’t driving recklessly, she was still significantly over the speed limit.

Her heart pounded in her throat with every mile. Her eyes burned with tears she refused to shed.

She couldn’t believe Leilani had betrayed her like that. She felt so alone. Emotion bubbled inside her with nowhere to go.

She needed to get far away to somewhere she would have room to let her fear bubble out where no one could see.

She wanted to scream.

To cry.

To shout and throw a fit.