LET ME BE ME

en's

ery. My heart pounds in my ears. My hands shake. I see th

an in an expensive suit. He doesn't even look at me as he talks. He's too

sorry." My voi

me. Inside is an old painting of a lake at dawn. A thousand

help. I should have take

y stomach twists with shame and fe

door jingles as I enter. It smells like burnt sugar and

I step back into the street. It's colde

t to go hom

n blurs. I don't know where I

to me. "Hey!"

mells like cheap liquor. Hi

inking. It connects with h

rd it spills on my coat. I do

sides. My heart races. I press my back a

phone. I can't.

ear anot

ook

ands

e wears a black coat. The moonlight catches the red stain

st tig

ches me. I can't tell if he'

id. I should scream. I

d goes

"The moon is p

expecting words. His han

I don't scream

nger twitches. The

," I whisper. "It

nswer. He ju

rom the coffee. I sniff it. The smell is w

ng one eyebrow. I shov

? I can't

up. He takes it with

weet,"

like swe

I'm a puzzle. I don't

home," I say a

or a beat. Then

k away before

hen I look back. He ju

ing. The door buzzes open with my cod

te on the table

lieved. I only

keep seeing his shadowed fa

sure: I'm never this

nothing normal