His Betrayal, My New Beginning

a se

was mine in the dark. He was my brother' s best

an, was asleep in the room next door. The scrape of h

sing me back into the mattress. His hands knew every part of me

knew exactly what he was doing. He' d look at me with wide, innocent eyes, his h

a concocted vulnerability that I drank like wa

aylight, laughing with my brother, barely glancing my way. I held on

the local music scene, a singer with a manufactured sweetness that criti

ate, his touch leaving a trail of fire on my skin. He h

ce barely a whisper, afraid to bre

hift, a tension in his shoulders

or what,

little too fast. "To not be a secret anymore. I

lt like a mile. He avoided my eyes, loo

e said, his voice flat.

ows. I was ready to fight for this, for him. "I' m not a kid,

ething flicker in his eyes. It wasn't love. It was p

it, okay? It' s pe

ismissive peck, and then he wa

o. Early sta

om turning cold. He was already halfway out the window w

alled out, bu

he screen was lit up with a text from one of h

? Is Sarah j

ard their voices from the street below my window. Liam must have met the

a car, laughing with Mark

was saying, clapping Liam on the

ith me. It was hard, and arrogant. "Sarah saw me leave the club with Chloe' s arm around me tonight.

floor felt like it was f

is head. "That' s a long time to pretend to l

uel gesture that broke my h

ntion. And honestly? It' s good practice. Besides,

len nights, whispered secrets, and a love I thought was real. It was all a ga

floor, wrapping my arms around myself. The tears wouldn' t come.

er had. He had used me, m

ion. It was over. I would not be his fool for one more second. I would cut