Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
We haven’t spoken about what happened between us, and if it were up to me, we never will. But still, Jase gave me something back I thought I’d lost forever. A sense of worth. My inner beauty that was deformed in my own mind.
For once, we’re sitting in the living room, watching The Hangover with Kao and Noah. I’m hardly paying any attention to the comedy because I’m too conscious of Jase.
Damn, just having him breathing next to me is enough to distract me from anything.
Jase’s phone starts to ring, and he gets up and disappears down the hallway.
My eyes go back to the television, and I let out a chuckle when something funny happens.
Jase comes back, and leaning down, he says, “I’m going out for an hour or two. Will you be okay?”
“Sure.” I nod. I almost ask him where he’s going at seven on a Saturday night, but not wanting to sound possessive and needy, I bite the question back.
Jase rushes out of the suite, and it catches Kao’s attention. “Where’s Jase going?”
I shrug as I get up, figuring I’ll go get a cappuccino from the restaurant and then come back and paint my nails. The black I have on looks horribly chipped off.
I go to my room and slip on a pair of shoes. Grabbing my wallet and keycard, I head to the front door.
I hear Noah chuckle, “Probably to get laid.”
Kao lets out a burst of laughter. “Nothing like a booty call.”
I shake my head as I leave the suite.
Jase wouldn’t do that. Not after what we shared today.
With it being a Saturday, the campus isn’t too crowded with most students out for the night. Walking into the restaurant, I head over to the barista and place my order.
I have to wait a couple of minutes and go to take a seat at an empty table.
Hearing a familiar laugh, my eyes go to the entrance as Summer and Rachel walk inside.
At least Jessica isn’t with them.
The two girls go to the counter to place their order, and I hear Rachel ask, “Where’s Jessica?”
Summer chuckles. “She just left for a date. She was so excited, and if you ask me, it’s about time they got together again.”
“Yeah, the past two weeks have been stressful for her.”
“Mila,” the barista calls for me. I get up and not looking at the girls, I take my order and leave.
‘Jase wouldn’t do that,’ my heart whispers.
‘Are you sure?’ my mind questions.
I hurry back to the suite, and rushing into my room, I shut the door and lock it before I place the beverage, my wallet, and keycard on my dresser.
Only then do I allow myself to think about what I overheard.
He wouldn’t.
My mind begins to torture me with memories of Jase and his playboy ways. All the times I’ve seen him with other girls and whenever he hooked up with a girl at the club.
And it spirals out of control as my breaths speed up.
An awful thought shudders through me.
Does he think he fixed me this afternoon, and now we can go back to the way things were?
You were the one pretending everything was fine, remember?
But…
This is what you wanted, Mila. You wanted Jase to go on with his life.
Yeah, but after today I didn’t expect it would be without me.
He never said he wanted to be with you.
I close my eyes against the reality because it hurts too much. The disappointment and rejection remind me of what happened the night of the attack.
Jase and I never talked about him and Jessica lip-locking right in front of me while he was dancing with me.
It brings back the old anger and pries open a door I thought I had managed to shut tightly.
I kick off my shoes as I try to force the memories of the attack back. Climbing into my bed, I pull the covers over my head.
You don’t need Jase to hold your hand every day.
You can do this on your own.
The worst is over.
Right?
The bruises have mostly faded. My ribs are much better. I even got an apology today and closed the chapter on it all.
You’re fine.
I grip my pillow tightly and bury my face in it as the past three years of unrequited love and the horror of the attack flood me.
Exhausted from the meeting, and warring with myself for what feels like hours, I finally drift off to sleep,
I’m surrounded by darkness, but I can feel something behind me. It’s monstrous. My heart begins to beat in my throat as I run, searching for any kind of light.
Jase!
My lips form his name, but no sound comes out.
There’s only silence. The night is black as ink.
Something claws at my back, and then I fall. I keep falling, my mouth wide open in a scream, but again there’s no sound.