The snide remarks burned.
“You shouldn’t have come back. You’re
damaged goods, used. Your parents don’t want
you, David doesn’t want you. Why are you event
here?” Sarah sneered.
I never thought my best friend, the person I’d
shared everything with, would ever throw my
trauma in my face like this.
I stood up and slapped her.
Slap!
Her face flushed red as she glared at me. “How dare you!”
“You wanted me to bless your relationship with
my ex–boyfriend, right? Consider this my
<
12:31
32
She lunged at me, screaming. “You bitch! I won’t let you get away with this!” The
previously fragile pregnant woman was now like a rabid animal.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” A
hand reached out, stopping her, gripping her wrist.
Sarah winced in pain.
Alex looked down at me. “Did she hurt you?”
“No.” I felt a wave of sadness. The worst part
was, I didn’t even know what I’d done wrong.
“Finish your soup,” he gestured to the clay pot of soup that had just arrived.
“Alex, let go! I’m your cousin’s girlfriend! You’re crazy! Taking sides with an outsider!” Sarah struggled.
“Did I not tell you to stay away from her?” he
tightened his grip. “Why didn’t you listen?”
Sarah cried out in pain, begging him to stop.
“Let go! Please! It hurts! Emily, say something! I’m carrying your goddaughter! Emily, don’t you
remember? We’re best friends!”
Ladmit, I’d been furious when she’d turned the other students against me. I’d even thought about fighting her. But now, seeing Alex’s fury. thinking about the innocent life she carried, tears streamed down my face, uncontrollably.
“Alex… Alex,” I sobbed. “Let her go. Please. She’s pregnant. The baby didn’t do anything
wrong.”
Seeing my tears, Alex’s face softened. He released Sarah and pulled me into his arms.
<
12:31
732
“Don’t cry. Please don’t cry.” He wiped away my
tears with his thumb. “I’m sorry. Don’t cry.” His
eyes were red too.
He led me away. Before leaving, he glared down
at Sarah.
“I’m her boyfriend. She’s not stealing anyone
from you. A man who hooks up with his
girlfriend’s best friend? She’s better off without
him. If you want to live, stay away from her.”
16
Alex led me to his car. He watched me cry,
wiping away my tears. After I calmed down, he
listened silently as I took a call. David had been
texting me from different numbers, messages
filled with accusations, explanations, apologies.
I didn’t want to read any of it. But it was my
mom calling. I couldn’t ignore her.
“You slapped Sarah? She’s pregnant! Why
couldn’t you talk it out? You and David are
<
12:32
over. Why are you making such a scene?
They’re getting married anyway. David’s not
coming back to you.”
My mom sighed on the phone.
32
I listened patiently to her lecture. It all boiled down to the same thing: the baby was innocent,
I should just let it go, no matter how wronged I
felt.
Alex snatched the phone.
“Ma’am, do you remember your daughter’s
name?”
There was a pause. “Emily. Of course I do. Who
is this?”
“Oh? Listening to your lecture, I thought your daughter’s name was Sarah.”
Tears welled up again at Alex’s words.
“Who are you! Put Emily on the phone!”
“You’re lecturing your own daughter, taking
someone else’s side? How noble.”
“Sarah’s pregnant! You don’t understand!”
“So? Is the baby going to call you grandma and take care of you in your old age?”
“There’s only right and wrong here. No one
gets to play the victim card.” Alex didn’t back
down.
“Right and wrong? What do you know about
right and wrong?” My mom was furious.
“Emily is my right and wrong.”
My mom was still yelling when Alex hung up.
<
He drove me through the bustling city streets,
then sped along winding mountain roads.
Watching the flashing lights outside, I felt lost.
I’d fought so hard to escape that hell, and this
was what I came back to? If I’d known, I
wouldn’t have bothered. I should have just died
there.
He stopped at a deserted mountaintop. We
stood there, the night wind whipping around us,
staring at the starlit sky.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, lighting a
cigarette.
“Jumping…” would I die?
Before I could finish, he flicked away his
cigarette and kissed me.
My mind went blank. What was he doing? I
struggled. He pulled me closer, his arms
tightening around me. I stopped fighting, letting
<
his kiss soothe my turmoil, comfort my lost
soul.
The wind howled, the stars shimmered, and my
heart raced.
He looked at me, the galaxy reflected in his
eyes, and pulled me closer, the wind wrapping
us together.
“You just live. I’ll go to hell for you.”
His words startled me. Before I could process
them, he kissed me again.
When he finally released me, rationality
returned, and I realized how crazy I was. Kissing
a man who looked exactly like Jake? I didn’t
even know his motives.
