Tangled. love
SA'S
Minutes
minutes later,
already
the swelling around my eyes, the redness that screamed pain and def
own, grabbed my bag, and
ped into the park
s face. My heart clenched. Even from afar, I could see he was tired, but his smi
r the mask of my usual self. But I could feel the weight of my lie, my s
wide. "There's my
into th
s did when I was younger, and spun me sl
ile, the first in w
and gently studying my face. "I left everyt
some rest." I spoke quickly, praying he wouldn't look
d ushered me
during our rare drives, he'd tell me about his meetings
want him to see me broken. So I
not
" he asked, glancing
h. "Just trying
rying not to remember Michael's words. But they echoed anyway, vicious, cold, hum
k away the tear
dam giving way. I couldn't hold it b
ice cracked. "What's
ned to
e road!"
saw it, a monstrous truck barreling toward us
that happened in
inding against metal. The violn. A
ness, like the earth d
en bla
ide down, trapped, pain radiatin
asoline, and shattered glass. Somewhere behind the
ned m
Slumped over th
came out hoarse,
mov
and the twisted angle of his arm, he twist
shiel
near, he used his body to cover mine, pulling debris away from my head
hen I un
een the
ke the brunt of the hit himself, placing h
dn't think about himsel
from that unbearable truth. He had protec
ain but at least I saw him smil
eek L
e darkness. Sterile white walls. IV drips. B
ed, but my sou
y voice
ened, and then she broke into a sha
ce, it was something else.
brushing my hair back gently. "I thought I'd
me like a hammer.
ice rose in panic, "Where
peak. She just
o, no
like a wound. "Please, PLEASE TELL ME HE
e told me
ing machines, none of it mattered anymore. My so
I was alive. He
hy didn't I notice sooner how much he
n was, I thought it was actually the hum
was like someone reached into my chest and ripped my h
he bed, the weight of i
AEL'
passed sin
day I thought I was teaching her a lesson. The day
ome to schoo
. "She's just a 10th grader
to swallow. I saw the video, how I stood there,
l I wanted was to see her face, say I was sorry. Not because I deserved fo
ed up: a future, an empire to inherit, a legacy to buil