72 Hours by Bella Jewel

Author:Bella Jewel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

FOURTEEN

I sit against that tree for what seems like hours. I don’t know where Noah is; I don’t know if I should go and find him or just wait. My mind is a jumbled mess. If I go after him, I could get lost and might not see him again—or worse, I’ll get killed and really make a mess of this. He wants me to trust him so I’ll trust that he’ll find me. He knows I’m in the water. If he’s okay, he’ll come find me here. If he’s okay. My heart twists at the very thought.

Pain lodges itself in my throat and I drop my head in my hands and try to breathe through it.

Losing my leg is a scary reality. Losing Noah is pure torture. I’ve already lost him once, God. The pain of that will never leave my mind.

I drag my things into Rachel’s apartment, face covered with dried tears. I’ve gotten all my things from Noah’s house. I can’t be there anymore. The image of him kissing that girl sends agony ripping through my chest. I’ll never be able to unsee it. Never be able to live with it. How could he do that to me? I already know how. I let my nan die, I shut down, why the hell would he want to be with me?

But still. I thought …

God. I don’t know what I thought.

“You okay?” Rachel asks, coming over and wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

“I can’t believe he did that, Rach. I … I can’t get it out of my head.”

“Maybe you should talk to him, let him expl—”

“No!” I snap. “No. I won’t talk to him. There is nothing he could say that will make this go away, or make it better. We’re done. It’s over.”

“Lara…”

“He was kissing another girl, Rach. There is no excuse for that.”

“He loves you.”

I flinch.

No. He doesn’t.

How could he love me? How could anyone love me? No. This is exactly what happens to people like me.

“I’ve changed my number. If he calls you, do not answer.”

I drag my things down the hall, voice devoid of emotion.

“Lara…”

I get into my room and slam the door.

This is what I get.

The rumble of a bike has my head snapping up and the memory rushing from my mind. I swipe the tears that have leaked down my face. No. There’s no way he could have found me already, not that quickly. How the hell is he that good? Where’s Noah? Did something happen to him? Panic seizes my chest and I leap to my feet. I don’t know where to go or what to do. I look around, frantically trying to come up with a plan as the bike comes closer and closer, torturing me with its sound.

I fumble around, trying to find our makeshift weapons. I can’t get hurt again. I don’t want to. I just … I just can’t. I don’t think I can live through any more pain. I don’t think I’m strong enough to fight.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.