DIANA VACKER:

Six period class ended early due to a family of roaches infesting Mr. Nase’s classroom. I wonder how that got there, could it have been pay back for giving a certain student detention yesterday? Since class ended early, I headed towards my locker to touch up my makeup before heading to the library. I walked in dragging my backpack along he carpeted floor. As I’m about to sit down, I glance over to my right and a wave of déjà rolled over me. There, practically buried under a five foot stack of math and science— or whatever— books is Eloise. _Great, I’m starting to regret the whole cockroach thing. _

I scan the room quickly in a desperate search for a seat any but next to Eloise. All the other seats are taken, except the one right next to her. Sometimes, I really hate karma. Well, there’s no where else to go unless I skip school—and there’s no point in that, I’d get caught. Again. Before I can stop it, I walk over and plop down in the seat next to Eloise.

ELOISE LONGER:

I’d just finished reading a mystery novel, but the ending was very anticlimactic, so I returned it to library and instead checked out these really fascinating alchemy and chemistry books when very suddenly, Diana occupies the seat next to me. _Why? Was this punishment for getting a 98% on my ELA test yesterday?! _

Me and Diana haven’t talked since the third grade. I didn’t want to say anything, but the awkward silence got to me—silence like this is a pet peeve of mine for whatever reason— I cleared my throat and before I knew what I was doing, I let out a simple: “Hello.” It felt like the entire library had gone silent, but a few seconds later—felt like an eternity— she replied: “I want to sit near you, but I don’t have a choice, so don’t think where friends now or anything.” Ugh. Why does she always do this?

DIANA VACKER:

I’d just put that little geek, Eloise in her place when she slammed the nerdy book she was reading down onto the table with a big THUD!!! “Watch your mouth, it’s not like I want to be near you either, Overrated Princess.” I roll my eyes, I don’t want to take her bait but that was the worst comeback in the history of comebacks. “_Overrated Princess?” _I snort, “That’s the best you can do?” I flip my shoulder length blonde hair behind my shoulder. “I’d say you should get out more, but you don’t any friends. M’est be lonely.” I mean it in a sorta mean way— if I say something too outline I’ll get another months worth of detention— but there was some truth to that, it must be lonely, and sad, not that I care. I’m about to walk away when Eloise whispers something under her breath.

ELOISE LONGER:

“What was that?” Diana asked me in a more than harsh voice. I speak a little louder this time, not wanting a one else to hear this but aanting Diana to. “At least I don’t have fake friends who use me while I stay oblivious to the fact that I’m only popular cause I’m fake friends with them. Also, I don’t pretend to use ‘The Nerds’ then kick them to the curb.” I have to admit, not much of a comback, but every single was true. I just hope Diana realizes that.

DIANA VACKER:

Hmph. I don’t necessarily like Eloise, but she had some thruth to that, but not about the fake-friend-popular-thing. Right? I stand up ready to walk out. But before I do I nibble a few words to Eloise “I’m sorry.” Then, I walk out of there with whatever pride I have left. Eloise looks star-strucked.

ELOISE LONGER:

“Me too.” I say before I hit the alchemy books agin. _Me too. _

“And that’s Mr. Phines, he’s head of the overseas sales department,” Alex tugged at his striped neck tie, his eager face flush with excitement. “I’d love to introduce you to Mr. Bates if we see him. He’s kind of a hard ass sometimes, but he’s a really cool guy.”

I smiled indulgently at him, charmed by his boy like enthusiasm. We had only been on a few dates when he had - with much sweating and stuttering - asked me to accompany him to his offices Christmas party. Likely to prove to his office that he could get a date.

And with the promise of an open bar and great food, I’d agreed, thinking that even if this didn’t work out between us at least I could try to bulster his office reputation a little bit.

“Mr. Bates!” Alex smiles broadly and reaches out through the crowd, hand extended. As if summoning him from thin air, a tall, broad shouldered man appears. As he emerges from the pack, he grins at Alex before noticing me by his side. His vivid hazel eyes land on mine, the breath leaving me in a whoosh.

The world seems to diminish to a dull buzz. Nothing exists but me and him, eyes locked on one another, a hundred unsaid words flashing back and forth between us.

“Julianna,” his hand reaches mine, engulfing my delicate fingers in his own impossibly large hands.

“Devin,” I murmured, flustered by his sudden appearance. “Devin Bates.”

Kicking myself for not putting the name together sooner, I suddenly remember Alex at my side, whose look of elation has faded slightly as he looked back and forth between us. “Do you two…know each other?”

“Julianna and I grew up together,” Devin says smoothly. “We’re old pals.”

“Right. Our moms were friends,” I explained to Alex, “we grew up on the same street.”

And did a whole lot more than that, but now wasn’t the time to have that particular conversation with Alex, whose smile had slowly returned.

“How nice that you guys can catch up! Do you need a refill, Mr. Bates? I was just heading to the bar.”

He was so eager to please, this devoted puppy dog.

“That’d be great; scotch on the rocks for me. And a Manhattan for Julianna.”

Alex looked back at me. I nodded, and he scurried off into the crowd, leaving me and Devin alone.

“So,” he said, smiling at me, “here we are.”

“Here we are,” I returned the smile. “The big boss, huh?”

Devin runs a hand through his hair, looking chagrined. “Who would have thought, right?”

His thick wavy hair falls charmingly into his face, dark locks framing his forehead. “Do you want to go outside for a minute? Get a bit of fresh air?”

I nod, glancing towards Alex at the bar. He’d been waylaid by some colleagues and was animatedly chatting with them, waving his empty glass in the air exuberantly as he told them some story. “Let’s do it. I’m sure he’ll find us.”

I follow him towards a pair of large French doors at the side of the room, ducking out and carefully shutting the door behind us. Devin strode over to a secluded corner of the terrace, shrouded from view of the party by several ivy covered trellises, and waited, leaning against the stone wall and staring up at the stars.

I got the feeling he didn’t particularly care if Alex was able to find us or not - and if I was being totally honest with myself, neither did I.

“You’re looking good,” he said finally, arms crossed over his chest, finally looking back at me. He looked every bit the strong leader, much more grown up than the last time I saw him. “How long has it been? 10 years?”

“At least,” I said, hopping up to sit on the stone wall besides him. My thigh brushed his shoulder, a spark of electricity wending between us.

We sat in amicable silence for a minute and it felt so normal, so natural, that for a second I could almost picture that we were 17 again, legs dangling off the back of his ‘88 Ford tailgate.

“You changed your number,” he said abruptly. “I tried calling.”

I jolted, shaken out of my reverie by the pain in his voice, hidden well enough only I would notice.

“Yeah, I did,” I murmured softly. “After it all, it just seemed easier. Cleaner.”

We were quiet for a few moments, both lost in years of unsaid words, flooded with memories of yearning and the sorrow of first loves.

“Are you and Alex serious?”

The question comes suddenly, seemingly blurted out, as if he couldn’t help himself.

I play with the hem of my dress, trying to buy myself time. “No. We’ve gone on a couple dates, here and there. I’m mostly here as a favor.”

We lapse into amicable silence again, but this time, I notice him lean slightly against me, feeling his shoulder press against me.

I move, microscopically, into his warmth, until we’re fully pressed together. Then, holding my breath, I move a light hand to his shoulder.

The air feels charged, the buzz of the party white noise in the background, the warm night settling thick with anticipation around us.

He moves suddenly, swinging around so that he’s facing me, nestled between my legs. His eyes bore into mine, clear and intense, and I know what he’s going to do immediately.

When he leans in to kiss me, I match his ferocity, his fervor, immediately. The world slips away as the heat builds, inescapable, bubbling up as his hands move over my back, my neck, down my arms. My legs are locked around his waist, drawing him in, in, in, until the only thing between us is our layers of clothing. I claw at him like an animal in heat, like the ten years since I’ve seen him have been slowly building this between us.

“Julianna?” I hear Alex yelling from nearby and pull back, shutting my eyes, disgusted with myself for falling into Devin again so easily, when I had thought ten long years had been enough to break me free from him.

“He’ll go away if we just ignore him,” Devin whispered, resting his forehead against mine.

It was tempting. To jump back into Devin, to ignore everything that had happened between us, even just for the night.

But Alex was nice. And didn’t deserve this.

“I’m sorry,” I said, wrenching myself away from him. I jumped down and dusted off my dress, peeking out from under the vines to wave at Alex. “Over here!”

A wave of guilt sweeps over me, seeing Alex’s excited face, holding three glasses awkwardly in his arms. I rush forward to relieve him of mine, sipping it hastily to occupy myself. Devin takes his as well, murmuring a thank you. We stand in silence for a moment before I turn to Alex and say, “shall we head back in?”

There’s a beat where he looks between us, something deeper than I expected registering behind his eyes. A pain I hadn’t been anticipating.

“Sure, yeah.”

I follow him back in quietly, staying close behind as he winds through the crowd. Devin does not follow.

Eventually, we reach the doors at the entry to the room, and he turns to face me with a small smile. “There’s something there between you two, isn’t there?”

I gave him a begrudging smile of my own. “It appears so. I swear I haven’t seen him in years; I didn’t know.”

He stared at me for a long while, before quietly saying, “I think a love that never ends is rare. Don’t take it for granted.”

And with that, he turned around, and walked out.

Autumn’s celebration festival Crowds of vivid souls and cozy battered scents I see your eyes, glistening like the past My heart stops in it’s tracks

You come to say “hi” carrying a hand 3 years apart and you moved on I’m stuck where we left off I’m stuck on the same song

You introduce me as a old friend Is that true to you? Friends don’t let lips greet each other Friends don’t make my heart overencumbered

Does he know? We once traded names The same week, soft pillows and clouds we laid Wearing sweat like jewlery from our charade

Does he know? My soul trying to leave my flesh Just to feel what was left In your heart

Does he know? The thoughts of you never slowed Memories so warm yet haunt my bones My blood doesn’t know where to go

He doesn’t know… Cover us up like the face you wear Hide our past like it changes it I can’t hide a mountain that I bear

Distracted by my mind You start to leave My heart falls to its knees Another hole, put in me

I want to say I love you still My heart is screaming, but my mouth won’t move I see your smile, that was mine to lose But for him, its his world

I know you’re in good hands Mine still shake from wanting to hold yours Its okay to see your heart is whole While mine is torn

Once last look as you leave my sight My eyes flooded by what I miss But if you’re happy, I’m happy But, I missed my star to wish that it was different

“Who are you?” Circe asked me as we ran.

“I told you my name.” I replied. We took a sharp turn down a hallway and I could hear the screams of the people. Either the spirits had arrived or they had found Eros’s body.

“That’s not enough. I don’t even know what your intentions are.”

“To get the Crown of Iris.” We ran out the main door and down to the gardens. No one was chasing us, but they would be soon.

Circe stopped running. “Of course. You want to use me to get the crown. I would say that you work for Eros, but you killed him. I don’t even know how you did it.”

I stopped too. “Neither do I. I don’t work for Eros. I want the crown for my own reasons. It’s the biggest thing to steal. I’m curious though. How are you alive?”

The witch laughed. “I was put into Eros’s debt. He would keep my alive, if I helped him. But he betrayed me. Our deal is broken now.”

“Good. I need you alive.” We looked over at the garden entrance. “We could go in there.” I suggested.

“And do what?”

“Escape.” I smirked.

Circe walked closer to me. “I thought you wanted to crown. If we leave now, we’ll never get it.” She said.

“What’s the point of having the crown if you’re dead? If we leave now, we could probably still get out of here alive. If we go back in there, we are going to die. Either from the guards or the spirits. Pick one.”

She actually thought about it. I almost laughed. She was actually debating going back in there. Why? What would that accomplish other than get us killed?

“Fine. We’ll leave, but what will we do then?”

I smirked at her. “Lay low and do whatever we want. Steal. Magic. Live. We’ll come back when we have a plan.”

Circe smiled. I knew she’d never lived a normal life. I was offering her a chance to escape all of this.

“Ok.” She said.

Then we ran off into the unknown and to whatever came next.

Globe Thistle Garden was very nice in the spring. I sat on a bench in this garden, in the city of Canaria, watching the grass and tree leaves sway in the breeze. All around me the scents of life wafted. Children ran around, playing tag, and every once in a while, a dog would pass by with its owner. I only wished that my mood could align with the current weather. I looked down and snapped a twig I had been holding.

The sound of my younger sister Hope shouting "Valli! Valli!" made me raise my eyes again.

"What is it?" I asked, plastering on a smile.

"Valli, you know how you are trying to find a babysitter for me?" she asked excitedly. I nodded. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I had been forced to become her legal guardian. I hadn't been prepared to assume all that responsibility, and it had become too taxing. Hope continued speaking.

"Well, today I made a new friend!" She ran off, disappeared behind a tree, and reappeared with a green-haired girl. "This is Raine!"

Upon seeing this girl, my expression reflexively became one of distrust. Raine seemed to have a similar reaction. This only lasted for a second, and soon we were both struggling to smile at each other.

"Hello, I see you've managed to befriend my sister," I greeted her. Her eyes remained locked on mine.

"Yep," she said. Her tone was oddly triumphant. "She seems to want me to be her babysitter. She told me her sister was looking for one. I'd agree to that; I think we would get along well."

"Is that so?" I asked, tilting my head. I glanced at Hope. True to her name, she was looking up at me hopefully. I hesitated.

"So, how much are ya gonna pay me?" Raine crossed her arms, already having made the decision that she was going to be looking after my sister.

"Listen, I don't know if..." I started. Raine put her arm around Hope, who was smiling up at her.

Luckily, I didn't have to finish my sentence, because at that moment, an explosion sounded behind us.

Nerva is bright. Ever since she could form words, royal tutors have been shaping her to take the throne. The perfect picture for a Queen.

And she needs to be. With her half brother taking over the Chartan kingdom, she became the only option for ruler for Allaver. As a young Royal, she needs to prove herself. Not to her standards but society’s.

Above all else, she is kind, caring to those around her. One of those people is Louisa. Her best friend and lady in waiting. If Nerva is intellectually bright, Louisa is visibly bright. She shines in the best ways possible, always with a smile on her face.

Except she doesn’t right now.

“Louisa, what happened?” She knows not to ask if she is ok. Louisa gets this glassy glaze over her eyes when she is most definitely not well. It is worrying for both her and Nerva.

“Something,” Louisa simply states.

“Isa,” Nerva eyes her, not letting up until she spills.

Louisa’s head swivels, eyes shifting nervously. “Will we be interrupted?”

“No.”

With a giant breath, fingers tapping at her side, she avoids Nerva’s gaze. “I’ve found something out. Something concerning.”

The air between them tenses up. Louisa is a confident woman. Nerva cannot imagine what has got her anxieties so high. “You can tell me anything. I won’t judge.”

“It is not judgement that I fear,” she reassures. “I have a lot to ask of you.”

Nerva grasps her friend’s hand. “Anything,” she promises. Through her whole life, Louisa has been there, by her side. She’s been the constant in her tornado of a life.

Lifting her head up, eyes newly determined. “You and Redfal still having troubles with bearing a child?” Louisa asks.

It startles Nerva. If their hands weren’t connected, she would have taken a step back. While she has always tried to be open on the topic, she can’t help but feel hesitant. It is a vulnerable subject.

“What does this have to do with you?” Nerva shoots back, not necessarily avoiding the inquiry but confused.

Louisa lets out a shuddering breath. Her hand squeezes Nerva’s tightly. “Because I find myself with child, Nerva.”

A gasp escapes her mouth before she can stop it. Never in her wildest theories could she have come up with that. Louisa is the more responsible one between them. When Nerva would try to skip one lesson, Louisa would guide her back and say that each one is improtant. “What are you saying?”

“This child deserves two good parents.” Louisa’s words echo in Nerva’s mind, attempting to make sense of it. Once her brain connects the dots, she is floored. The gravity of what Louisa is asking of her comes crashing down on her.

“You know the father,” Nerva states, not a question. When it leaves her mouth, Louisa’s pinched expression is enough of an answer.

Her best friend nods, confirming what Nerva already guessed. “Yes and he is not a good man. If I were to raise this baby, he would find out. He would know. It will put this life in danger. He can never know of this.”

The emphasis on the last part has Nerva shivering with how steely she said them. This man did something terrible. There’s no other way Louisa would respond in this way otherwise. Louisa is a ray of light and someone tried to snuff it out.

“Are you certain? You always desired children.” Nerva thinks back to when they were young and would plan out their whole lives. What their weddings would be like. Future husbands. Their children’s names.

But whatever circumstances that this child came about, it is enough for Louisa to be certain. “I still do, but I do not have the luxury. If this child is to live a full and happy life, they need you.”

Louisa never asks for anything. She is the perfect lady in waiting and the finest friend. Redfal would follow what she wanted, so it was really Nerva’s decision, and she already knew her answer.

“I will do my best, my friend,” she promises.

“That is all I ask for,” Louisa says.

They embrace, arms tight around one another. Their bond strengthening even more with this deep conversation.

When they part, Nerva can’t help but feel giddy. It set in that she would have a child. She and Redfal yearned for children, but she appeared unable to conceive. It didn’t help that everyone expected children from the Queen and King by now already.

“Do you have a name in mind, Isa?” Nerva asks.

She shakes her head. “Well, this will be your child, Nerva. You and Redfal have naming rights.”

Mirroring Louisa, she shakes her head right back at her. She knows her best friend. Louisa just hasn’t let herself think about the child as hers. “I would love for you to pick two names, for a boy and a girl. I want this baby to have something of yours,” Nerva assures. It would be an honor to raise this child. It would be even better if her best friend would take part and leave the child with a name she chose.

“As you wish. For a boy, Cornell, close to my father’s name.” It can’t be exact. The father cannot know that this child is hers. Louisa’s eyes stare up to the ceiling, no doubt brainstorming girl names.

There is only one name that sticks in her mind. “For a girl, I always loved the name Covelle. Cove for short.”

“It’s perfect.”

——— (This is Queen Nerva from my More Than Blood series on here. It gives a bit of background on her and Louisa, which in the future is Nerva’s children’s royal doctor. It also serves as a bit of a reveal that Louisa is Cove’s biological mother.)

“You’re all dismissed!” Leanna rang out cheerfully as the clock at the back of the room chimed, prompting her class of third grade biologists to begin gathering their things, chattering amongst themselves as they exited. “Remember, you’ll need to bring your botany worksheets with you on Friday!” “Yes, Mrs. Johnson!” called out little Abby with the curly brown hair, her best pupil, before scampering out the door. She doubted the other students heard her, but Leanna would remind them again on Wednesday, and yet again on Thursday—by then, at least a third of them would probably remember to bring back their homework. It couldn’t be that hard to color in some daisies with crayons, she thought, humming to herself as she packed up her own things. “Jane,” said a deep male voice that decidedly did not belong to Abby. She looked up from her desk. Oh no. “Mark.” He smiled. She froze. A thousand different thoughts speared through her mind before she came to her senses again—he was fingering some of the students’ homework plastered on the wall by the window, drawings of insects from a class last month. “Never thought I’d find you in a classroom again,” he said, letting go of the paper butterfly and strolling by the window. “Much less as the teacher.” He turned about to look at her. “I’m-“ “Leanna Johnson, third grade teacher of biology in Butte, Montana.” Leanna—or, Jane—didn’t reply. “Why the change?” “I find it fulfilling,” Leanna forced out, finally remembering to continue to pack her things. “You always hated children.” “I never hated them—“ she retorted, a bit too quickly. “I just never had the time to care for them properly, and felt—well, you know all that.” “Plenty of scientists have families in the Compound,” he stated, settling himself on the desk closest to hers. “And I expect many of the teachers here have families too.” She hid her ring finger. Mark didn’t need to see there was—still—nothing on it. “Well, as nice as it is to see you after so very long, I have a faculty meeting I need to get to.” She threw her messenger bag on her shoulder and started towards the door, but not before he blocked the path. “Mark—“ “Five years. Half a decade, Leanna, and you can only talk for half a minute before disappearing again?” “I can’t do this right now. I have to—“ He took a step closer. “Without telling anyone, without telling me where you went? We thought you were dead. We thought you finally succumbed to your research.” “My meeting-“ “There were search parties. There were suspects, warrants. We hired private investigators.” “I’m sorry you wasted so much time on me. Now, if you please-“ “The research you were working on—you were so close. Your disappearance set the entire team back for years. It was almost abandoned.” That got her to glance up at him. Abandoned? He smiled, again, those green eyes looking back at her, deeply studying her own brown ones. No. He wouldn’t be here if her research was abandoned entirely. “I discovered the missing piece last month,” Mark continued, quietly closing the door with his hand. She glanced out the door’s window. Maybe if she could dart past him towards the doorknob… “It involves your grandfather.” Her eyes reoriented onto his, with full attention. “If you did anything to him, I’ll—“ “We didn’t, Jane. Still as cynical as ever. No, to get anything useful out of him, we knew we needed you.” He took a slight step forward, almost on top of her now. “You were the missing piece.” With that, his right arm squeezed her into an embrace while his other hand tightly pressed a damp cloth against her face. Her eyes widened, unable to free herself before losing consciousness and falling helplessly into Mark’s arms.

Person A: We haven't talked like this in a long time.

Person B: Yeah, it's been a while. I guess life gets in the way.

Person A: Or maybe we've been avoiding each other. After everything that happened...

Person B: You mean the secrets? I thought we agreed to leave the past behind us.

Person A: Did we? Or did we just sweep it under the rug?

Person B: What good does it do to dig it all up again? We've both moved on, haven't we?

Person A: Maybe. But sometimes it feels like the weight of those secrets is still hanging over us.

Person B: What do you want to hear? That I regret it? That I wish things were different?

Person A: I just want honesty. Can we at least do that now?

Person B: Alright. Yes, I regret some of the things we did, the lies we told. But at the time, it seemed like the only way.

Person A: I know. And I wasn't any better. I kept my own share of secrets from you.

Person B: So, where does that leave us now? Can we really trust each other again?

Person A: I want to try. But we need to be open, no more hiding things. Agreed?

Person B: Agreed. No more secrets. It's time we face everything head-on, together.

Person A: Together. Let's start fresh.

Wren has come to hate this. Soulmates shouldn’t exist, she decides.

She eyes her phone, picking it up and going to a contact that is labeled “Annie.” Her finger hovers over the fake name but lets her phone slip from her grip for the fifth time in the past fifteen minutes.

Greta and Bell are at school, so now would be an ideal time.

“You need to do this,” she whispers to herself. It doesn’t make her feel any more brave.

Bracing herself, she presses the call button and dread fills her every cell. While she wishes for this to be done, a large part hopes that the voicemail will ring out.

“Hello?” A voice answers. She sighs. Too much to ask for.

“Hi Arlo,” she says, trying to keep her voice even. Being a mom has strengthened her mask of fake okayness.

“Wren. Why are you calling? I thought we agreed—“ he is taken off guard which doesn’t affect Wren. They barely ever talk, especially not on the phone. “I know what we agreed. Something’s happened that you should know,” she cuts him off. She doesn’t want to be reminded of her stupid decisions.

Instantly, his demeanor shifts. This tone taking on a more softer and understanding sound. “I’m listening. I’ll always listen.”

Whether she likes it or not, his words calm her. She feels an inner peace take over as they continue to talk.

“Bell knows that my soulmate isn’t Hai.”

“Oh Wren. How much does she know? Can’t you do something about that?” Arlo asks.

Wren shakes her head but remembers he isn’t there physically with her. “She doesn’t know everything. But I can’t alter her mind. I won’t do it again.” It caused enough damage. She can’t keep relying on her telepathic powers to fix all her issues.

“I wasn’t asking you to. You always do what you think is best. You’ll figure this out.” A grin takes over her face at his supportiveness. In this time of turmoil, it felt nice to hear some encouragement.

Leaning against her marble countertop, she relishes the cold on her heated skin. “I don’t know how. I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me for taking the memory of her soulmate from her. And that isn’t even the half of it.”

“Hey, you panicked. You’re human. It’s ok, Wren,” he reassures. His words, his tone, everything is like a big warm hug. It is the biggest comfort to know that no matter what, he would be on her side, even if she were the only one to know that.

But she can’t let herself sink into his reasoning. What she did is wrong. She knows that. She’s always known that. “No it’s not. I’ve hurt so many people. Hai, Bell, Greta, and….you,” she lists, hesitating when she mentions Arlo.

She hears him sigh on the other line. Without seeing his face, she can’t tell what that exactly means. Oh how she wishes to use her abilities to just know. It is so easy to know how people feel when they are near. Then she can read their minds.

Though, it obviously became a crutch. Even habitual. It scares her how much she uses it without realizing it sometimes.

“I don’t blame you,” he states simply.

“How do you know that you truly feel like that? That I haven’t altered your thoughts to make you okay with it?” She pushes, voicing her biggest insecurity.

Now that Bell knows part of the story, Wren imagines that it will be difficult for her to trust her again.

And as a mother, that breaks her heart.

“Because I trust you.” He says it like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“Even after everything?” She knows her tone is hopeful, taking on a slightly higher octave. But maybe if he can find it in his heart to trust her, someday Bell can.

“Even after everything,” he confirms. “I think it’s time to tell everyone. Not for me, but so you don’t have to feel like you are hiding things from your family.”

Hearing someone else say what she knows to be true just solidifies it to her. “You’re right. I think I’ve known that for a long time but was too afraid to actually do it.”

“No matter how they react, I’m here for you, Wren. Always.” She imagines his face with his sincere eyes and warm smile as he speaks. There is a deep desire for him to be there with her, but she shoves it down.

Wren longs to say three specific words to him. It just isn’t right. She’s complicated his life enough.

Instead she says, “Thank you. I always know I can count on you.”

How you been? You’re not my friend. Come on, I’ll defend To the bitter end

We are rivals Our feud isn’t trivial Goes back to evil Try not to snivel