Page 72
“You have my number. If you’re ever in trouble, real
trouble, or if you ever need help or just someone to talk to, use
it.”
Cassia snorted. “So, you’ll give me your number, but not
yourself. How very liberating of you. I guess that’s supposed
to protect me too?”
“Cassia?”
“No. I don’t want to hear how you want to spare me or
protect me or save me. I don’t need to be told what’s right for
me and my own body. I wanted this with you, but not
anymore.” She made a sound deep in her throat and Adalynn
finally turned. Cassia was doing her best to be brave, to
control the emotion that welled up in her eyes and showed on
her face like the cracks of a shattered mirror. Cassai dropped
her gaze as soon as Adalynn met it. “Thank you for, uh,
helping me know that this is what I want, I guess. I wish we
could have done more, but I’ll always think of you as my first.
I know you’re trying to be kind and I’m sorry that I was mad.”
Adalynn’s throat closed up and it was impossible to get
anything out past the massive lump there. She bit down hard
on her bottom lip and nodded.
Cassia walked to the table, picked up her purse, and tucked
the scrunched-up piece of paper inside. She gave Adalynn a
forced, fragile smile that contained none of her golden, radiant
light, then smoothed her blouse again, tugged at her skirt, and
walked out of the room.
The door closed behind her with the tiniest of clicks.
Adalynn hoped against hope that one day Cassia would call.
That one day she would need her. That one day she herself
would be able to answer that call and be brave enough to tell
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72 (Reading here)
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195