A Promise Kept, A Heart Healed

upposed to be

feeling spreading through my chest. I coul

e door with

were kids in foster care, was standing there. His ba

s lips, a breathy

hle

ng hell in high school. The one who called him a "freak" and poured scaldi

art shattered into a million tiny pieces. I felt like I cou

r, suddenly buzzed to life. The screen li

y Pet

nts with fumbling hands. He grabbed the

hle

through the phone. "Liam, where'

said, his voice instantly changing

st because you' re marrying that pathetic little

ay, a ghost in my own home.

ley. I'll be right t

pale, then quickly smoothed over into a mask of calm. It

was just... check

, it left me speechless. My throat w

rom the bowl by the door. "I have to run a

word. I just

the driveway, I grabbed m

but towards the fancy part of the city, to a b

kids in the system, bounced from one foster home to another. We only had each other. When we got

ly. They called us "gutter rats." They "accidentally" tripped us in the halls. They

nd physical. I was the one who cleaned the coffee off his shirt that day, my

en, his face buried in my shoulder. "One da

His face was on magazine covers. Ashley's family, meanwhile

e it was the ultimate revenge, to have her at his

oset. I read them one night, my curiosity getting the better of me. The

y. She called me a freak

me. But I saw it. My he

her to look at only me. Ev

wasn't about revenge. It was a dark, twisted desi

with a ridiculously expensive cake, that

ooked impatient, tapping her foot. He h

m. She just opened the b

she said, her voice carrying acro

" he said

g. Don't marry he

aw a flicker of conflict on his

placing a hand on his chest. "You don't

just stood there, l

ping with poison. "It's my birthday. You wouldn'

g to ice, as he slowly, al

eek. Then another. I felt nothi

rang. It was the bridal shop, calling to confirm

said, my voic

?" the woman on the ot

order. Cancel the

in mind. I just needed to get away. Away from him. Away