Chapter 120
The morning sunlight spilled across my bedroom floor, touching the edges of boxes stacked by the wall. I had been putting this off for weeks, but it was time.
One by one, I pulled open drawers, closets, and shelves–sorting, piling, deciding what stayed and what went. Most things went straight into bags for charity: old clothes, unused blankets, things I had no attachment to anymore. I told myself it was cleansing.
Then I opened the last box.
Photos. Letters. Trinkets from another life. My breath caught as I lifted a frame–me and Beatrice, years younger, our arms wrapped around each other, faces bright with laughter.”
It was from the summer before everything changed.
“Promise me,” Beatrice said, tugging me toward the pier, our shoes dangling from our hands. The air smelled like saltwater and fried dough from the carnival nearby.
“Promise you what?” I laughed, half out of breath fro
running.
“That we’ll always be like this,” she said. “No matter what. You and me, against the world.”
I grinned, shaking my head. “You sound like you’re in a bad teen drama.“}
“I’m serious!” She stopped walking and turned to me, her expression surprisingly earnest. “We’ve known each other since we were what–six? Seven? No one gets me the way you do. I don’t ever want to lose that.”
My heart softened. “You won’t. I promise.”
She looped her pinky through mine. “No boys, no fights, no stupid jealousy will ever come between us.”
“Deal,” I said, squeezing her hand.”
We spent the rest of the day at the carnival, eating cotton candy until our fingers stuck together and daring each other onto rides neither of us liked. When the fireworks started, she leaned against me and whispered, “Someday, we’re gonna have everything we’ve ever wanted, you and me.“}
“Someday,” I echoed, smiling up at the sky.
The memory hit me like a blade between the ribs. My vision blurred, tears slipping free before I could stop
them.
I wiped at my face, furious at myself. Beatrice was gone–not the girl in the photo, but the woman she’d become. The woman who had stood beside Colton and helped tear me apart.
Snapping out of it, I gathered every photo, every memento, every reminder of her–and Maureen, too–and tossed them into the metal bin outside. My hands shook as I lit the match.
The flames caught quickly, curling the edges of the photos, eating away the smiles and bright colors until they turned to ash. “I’ll never remember you again,” I whispered to the fire. “Either of you.”
I turned away before the last ember died.
Inside, the smell of smoke still clung to me. My eyes fell on the small shelf by the window where a single white
one I had kept hidden away for years. I took it down, set it on the table, and struck a match.
The flame flickered to life, soft and warm, casting shadows across the room.
I closed my eyes. For the little life I never got to hold.”
Ale sat-
My fingers pressed to my lips before I placed them over my heart. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, the words barely making it past my throat. “I’m sorry I couldn’t keep you safe… that I let the world hurt us before you even had a chance to see it.“\
Tears slipped free, hot and relentless, dripping onto my hands. I stayed there for a long time, the candlelight blurring as I let myself grieve–not for Colton, not for Beatrice, but for the innocence and the future that had been stolen from me.§
When I finally blew out the candle, the smoke curled upward, disappearing into the air like a sigh. I wiped my cheeks, forcing the walls back up around my heart.”
I poured myself a coffee, wrapping my hands around the cup as if the warmth could anchor me. That was when Scott appeared in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame.
“Get dressed,” he said.
I narrowed my eyes. “For what?”
“You’ll see.”
“I’m not in the mood–“%
“Too bad,” he cut in. “You’ve been cooped up in here long enough. You’re coming with me.”
“Scott-”
“No arguments.” He smirked. “It’s a surprise.”
l sighed, crossing my arms. “Fine. But if this is some weird stunt-“3
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4:04 PM P
I sighed, crossing my arms. “Fine. But if this is some weird stunt-”
“You’ll thank me later,” he said with infuriating confidence.
Three hours later, we were still in the car.
“Where are we going?” I asked for the fourth time.”
“Secret,” he said again.”
I tried to act indifferent, but inside, I was… curious. Maybe even a little excited. Not that I’d admit it to him. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction–or risk letting my guard drop too far.
Because what if Scott turned out like the others? What if he decided to hurt me, too?”
The car slowed as we turned onto a narrow road lined with tall trees. At the end was a sprawling vacation house, its windows glowing warmly in the early evening light.”
“Do you own this?” I asked as we stepped out.”
“Yes,” he said simply.
“What is this for?”
He didn’t answer–at least not with words.
Because just then, the night sky lit up with fireworks.
froze, the colors reflecting in my eyes. And then… music. The opening chords of one of my favorite songs floated through the air. At first, I thought it was a recording–until Scott took my hand and led me around the side of the house, toward the garden.
My breath caught.
There, under strings of golden lights, my favorite band was playing. Live. Just for me.
I turned to Scott, speechless.”
He stepped closer, holding my gaze. “Nadia…“}
And then, before I could process anything else, he pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and sank to one
knee.
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