Page 43 of No Mistakes

But so did I.

I let out a shaky breath, turning the tap on and splashing cold water against my cheeks and wrists like it’ll cool the fire he lit inside of me.

It doesn’t do anything; if anything, it makes it worse as the heat creeps back up.

I stare at myself in the mirror, taking a deep breath before wiping my hands dry. “You’ve got this, Eva, we can do this,” I say to myself before turning to leave.

By the time I exit the bathroom, my legs are steady enough to walk without giving away how utterly wrecked I still feel. I enter the gas station, grab a basket near the door, and head towards the snack aisle, pretending like I’m not still burning up from the inside out.

I spot Mandy near the fridges, holding a can of Monster and glaring at the nutrition label like it personally offended her.

“You good?” she asks, not looking up.

I nod, grabbing a bag of sour cream chips. “Totally. Just trying not to emotionally combust in a gas station.”

“Love that for you.” She tosses the can into her basket and finally glances my way. “You look like you saw a ghost. Or touched one.”

I blink at her, lips parting.

She narrows her eyes, “Youdidn’t.”

“I didn’t-” My voice cracks, and I instantly shut up.

Mandy grins like she’s already solved the mystery. “Yousodid.”

“I just needed air,” I mumble, grabbing a pack of mini doughnuts and pretending they’re the most fascinating thing in the world.

“You went to the bathroom,” she points out. “Unless there’s a military ventilation system in there, I’m guessing you got more than air.”

I shake my head, trying to hide the smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. “You’re the worst.”

“I know. You love it.”

We turn the corner, and I let the moment settle, my heart slowly returning to a rhythm that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to punch through my ribs.

“Hey,” Mandy says, nudging me with her elbow as she eyes a shelf of overpriced sweets. “Do you think there’s a fairground nearby?”

I blink, taken aback by the sudden question. “A fairground?”

“Yeah. Like rides, games, all that cheesy stuff.” She shrugs, grabbing a pack of M&M's. “I’ve never been to one.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “Wait…never?”

She shakes her head, like it’s not a big deal. “Nope. I know, I know. Tragic.”

I study her, shocked at the fact that she’s never experienced this in her life. “You’re serious?”

“Dead serious. Not even a carousel. Not even one of those sad ones in the middle of a mall.” She says, inspecting a bag of chips.

“That’s criminal.”

She laughs, but it’s the kind of laugh that carries weight under the sound. “It just never happened. My mom was always working, and when I got older, I had better things to do than chase neon lights and cotton candy.”

I don’t say anything for a moment, I just lean closer, gently bumping her shoulder. “Well, now it’s on the list.”

She lifts a brow. “What list?”

“The ‘make up for all the crap life threw at us’ list.” I toss a pack of gum into the basket. “Right after therapy, and just before world domination.”