ic was

s were to

too sober fo

nce floor like I didn't belon

to party. Or flirt.

e to

evenge bitch era outfit " that was carefully locked away in my closet. No bra. No straps. Just

me, or the energy, or the emotional band

rayer that the low lighting would h

pun. And my heart hadn't stop

synthetic beats I didn't have to think about th

ve to think

jobles

used to share with someone

b in dizzying shades of red and, li

But I just stood there, pressed against the bar l

of the counter as my phone buzzed in my

ma

ai

even need

between calls and voicemails. I hadn't

way you feel an old wound s

Bzzz

eartbeat I didn't wa

o hear his voice. Wanted to believe that maybe he really had messed u

f it w

eally was t

had. All I'd

nts left. When the bills piled up. W

of him... wh

nd I blinked hard to

ce said beside me. Her breath

lied. "J

then disappeared into the crowd with a

z

her

this time, thumb hov

issed calls. 9

emoji beside his name

slid to

I st

d the drink someone left unattended next to me. I didn't

, a shiver ran down my spin

ours

ck like even the apartm

wice before the door

own too used to Jamal's place fancier furniture, worki

th

was

n with him a year ago. Dust coated the window . The air was stale, h

ff my shoes, walking toward the

ked open with a

tle of

rton of milk, p

with something so moldy it coul

and leaned my head

Ivy," I mutte

pen, and coughed as a cloud of dust danced into the air. I

stood

il

ll in front of me like

I withou

ut my

anyone t

change me and make me cold. Maybe I should've

yb

Z

er me

mail I didn't

e I'd left my body behind and was watchin

eded

mus

a d

would make me feel li

at th

rd emotional crisis when a voice cut th

give stran

fr

y, I

was

from the

le of water to because he looke

t

k like he nee

m like it had been custom-made to wrap around sin itself. His

as smili

new thing

and he already had

, cheeks heating. "

cent of something expensive

ess. Especially not w

u looked like yo

ou looked like a girl trying to k

der than it

rushing his fingers under my chin an

gh n

ife," I

ed on mine like he could re

long here," h

Where do I b

his lips brushed

th