Page 157 of Lace 'em Up

I struggle up to my feet, turn, and?—

Stacy rips out of her mother’s hold, shoves me again.

But this time, I’m ready for her bullshit, and I don’t fall, just stagger back a step.

“Bring it, bitch,” I mutter.

Be brave and kind?

Brave in standing up for myself.

Kind in taking notes from King and pounding my fist into my stepsister’s face.

Stacy lunges for me, fingers curled, long nails like talons.

“Stop it!” Cathy growls, yanking her back. “You’re making a scene and we need to be smart?—”

I snort.

I can’t help it.

Smart like coming here in the first place? Like confronting me in the bathroom? Like trying to kowtow me by unleashing their abuse all over again?

I’m done.

D.O.N.E. Done.

Cathy slowly spins her gaze toward me—and I can’t lie. She’s fucking terrifying. “Leave,” she snaps.

“No problem, psycho,” I mutter, taking another step toward the door.

“Not you,” Cathy snaps at me. “You,” she snarls at Stacy.

Wide eyes. Begrudging expression. “But Mom?—”

“Go.”

Stacy hesitates one more second then turns and walks out of the bathroom.

Leaving me alone with Cathy.

Who stares at me for a long, long time.

Right. Yeah, that’s enough of that.

I turn for the door and?—

It swings open.

Revealing King.

He takes one look at me and the murder that bleeds onto his face…

God, it shouldn’t make my heart happy.

It still does though.

King and I versus the world.

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