Page 223 of Naughty Nelle

CHAPTER 18

By breakfast, Winnie’s already gone. I’ve been spared a tear-fest.

“You look like you’ve lost your best friend,” says Pinocchio.

“I have.” Two of them, I add silently.

He takes my hands in his.

“Thanks for being there for me in group yesterday,” I say.

“The same to you. That was a pretty heavy session. I’m glad I came out. Grimm told me I’ll be getting out of here pretty soon.”

Now, my new best friend is on his way out? With a heavy heart, I wander through The Enchanted Garden, aimlessly gathering fruit.

“Yo, Ho, Ho!”

I whirl around and find Hook standing behind me. He stabs a cherry I’ve picked with the sharp tip of his hook, then licks it with his tongue. Disgust rises in my chest.

“I came clean about my drinking.” He swallows the cherry whole. “I’m going back to Lalaland at the end of the week.”

What! He should be going straight to hell.

“So, Jane, what about it?” he says, moving closer to me.

“What about what?” I move away.

“You and me. It’s your last chance.”

“You and I belong in Neverland.”

Hooks smirks. What part of “never” doesn’t he understand?

Before I can pivot away, he hooks me by my neck and yanks me toward him.

“You’re hurting me! Get that claw of yours off me!” I scream.

Hook releases me and edges away. “I get it. It’s my hand, isn’t it?”

I actually feel a tinge of pity for him.

“No, Hook, it’s not your hand,” I say, more gently. “It’s just that I’m not that into you.”

“You don’t need to explain.” He storms off.

Some men obviously can’t take rejection.

After morning meditation, I trudge up to Shrink’s office, feeling blue every step of the way. Shrink flies in, full of energy, and circles around me.

“I heard you had a major breakthrough in group yesterday,” she says brightly.

“I suppose. I admitted I was addicted to beauty.”

“How do you feel?”

Should I tell her depressed, lonely, or confused? Or all of the above?

“Winnie’s gone,” I find myself saying instead.

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