Page 137 of Running from Drac

“You made your choice, Poppy. And it was the right one. Blood before friendship.”

“Amber—”

“It’s okay, Poppy. It’s what you had to do…”

After zipping up my last bag, I give her a half-hearted smile. “Well, that’s the last of it. Thanks for always being there for me, as much as you could, Poppy.”

It was like she was analyzing me with her eyes, but what she was looking for I had no idea. “This sounds like a goodbye.”

“It is.”

“I mean forever. This sounds like a forever goodbye.” Tears appeared in her eyes, but they stayed stagnant over her iris.

“I can’t take the chance of seeing her again, Poppy. At least not right now. I hope you understand that.”

She nodded, sniffling as she wiped at her face. “Will you at least tell me where you end up?”

“I’m not sure if I’m going to let anyone know where that is, to be honest. I just need… space,” I told her hesitantly. “From everyone.”

Poppy flinched. “Even me?”

“Sorry.”

She shook her head. “It’s okay. I understand. I know I should’ve told you about Pippa’s strange obsession with Eddie, but I just didn’t know how. Not without betraying her too.”

My backpack shifted on my back as I straightened. “She’s your twin, Poppy. She comes first.” Our conversation was cut off by my phone ringing.

Eddie.

“You could talk to him, you know?” she suggested.

“And say what? I can’t trust him right now. Frankly, I can’t trust anyone.”

She picked up a few of my bags and helped me carry them to the car. “I don’t know. But I do know he loves you, Amber. More than he’s probably loved anyone before.”

“That’s what makes it so bad. He loved me and still ended up fucking one of my best friends. People who truly love you don’t do that.”

Poppy’s phone rang next. She frowned. “Now he’s calling me.”

“You can pick it up if you want. Just don’t tell him where I am.”

She let the phone call die. “I’m good. I have nothing to say to him either.”

“Where is Pippa, anyway?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard from her today. Last time I talked to her, she was going to try to patch things up with Eddie.”

For some reason this made my heart clench even harder. “Wonderful. I hope they find happiness. Those two belong together.”

“You don’t mean that, Amber.”

She was right, I didn’t, but it still didn’t change how I felt about everything.

“It doesn’t matter what I feel. It’s over, and I’m ready to move on. Anyway, I should get going.”

“Will you at least tell me where you end up, please. I wanna know where you end up after Italy?”

She has no idea I may never leave once I get there.