His Cruel Joke, My Broken Heart

n the center of the ravenous crowd. The whispers escalated into outright jeers. "

ed body unable to recover, and I crashed to the ground. My elbow hit

ording my humiliation. Another flash. And another. "Stop," I cho

d over me. "Look at the whale, beached." "She deserves i

my soul felt like it was bleeding out. I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the throbbing in my arm, and ran. I

cold and unforgiving. I leaned against the railing, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I hate myself.

et for creating this monster of self-loathing? Or would he just be relieved the "fat pig" was finally gone? The bo

a gentle patter, then a steady downpour. I welcomed the ra

ed up, my eyes bloodshot, to see Damian. He stood there, looking at me with an unreadable expressi

singly soft over the drumming rain

battered, gave a w

ontinued, a hint of exasperation in his tone. "Her parents are incr

e... we can go to prom. We can make it official. Just like we planned

intly of his usual cedarwood cologne, a scent th

tended, a small, childish gesture he used when he was trying to coax me. His earlobes

, his face hardening. "I have to take this," he muttered, dropping the umbrella into m

now flat, devoid of any warmth. "Don't you dare

under the umbrella that now felt like a mock