Page 98 of Pretty Broken Wings

The concept has a tiny thrill running through me. But just as soon as it’s there, it’s gone again.

And that pisses me off.

So, I go through the motions out of spite. The woman is eager to take my advances. By the end of the night, I’m blackout drunk, and I don’t care. I’ve decided I’m going home with the woman. We make it to the parking lot, the bitter cold rushing in around me, sobering me slightly.

“Where are you parked?” the woman asks.

Annoyance fills me. Raven wouldn’t ask that. She’d just snatch the keys from me and push me into the passenger seat. This bitch doesn’t even know I can’t drive.

“I’m blind.” The words come out deadpan. Technically, I can still see, but I’m so fucking tired of explaining that.

“Whatever.” She laughs like I told a joke. When I don’t laugh with her, she sobers a bit. “Well, I can drive.”

“Good.” I just march after her.

The woman’s car smells off. Not bad, just off. Just like old cloth seats and I don’t like it.

“Do you want to go to a hotel or…”

No. I don’t want to go to a hotel.

For some reason, I find myself rattling off the address to Raven’s place.

It would be funny, right? Going to Raven’s place. Fucking another woman at Raven’s place.

I feel the car stop before I realize we’ve gotten there. The woman pulls up to the front instead of around to the back, but she’s stopped the car before I can tell her that. I feel like I’m wrapped up in a fog.

There’s a knocking at my door, and I shake myself out of it, trying to pull the door open. It won’t move. Why won’t it move?

Oh yeah. I have to push.

I chuckle to myself as I step out of the car.

The woman grabs my arm. “Careful.”

Careful? I’m fine. I’m fucking fine. I shake her off.

“You got something.”

I blink, focusing so the two women merge into one. She’s bending down on Raven’s doorstep and brings up a… present? It’s a wrapped square with a package of animal crackers on top.

I frown.

The woman hands me the things, and I see a letter on top. A letter addressed to Celeste.

“Who’s Celeste?” There’s a cautious tone in her voice.

Rage washes over me, and my vision blacks out. Max. It’s from fucking Max.

He’s still after her?

Hate, hate, hate. It makes my blood so hot I feel like I could burn down the world. Burn Max down, using only matches. I’ll melt his skin off his body one match at a time. How long will it take? Not long enough.

“Are… you okay?” I barely register the woman’s tone.

“Take me home,” I demand.

“I–”