Page 5 of Knot a Good Idea

“We’ve worked on what to do when the attacks happen,” she continues. “Iknow you know what to do and what tools to use. I think it’s time you put them to use.”

I scowl and shift on the sofa. “It’s not just about the attacks,” I mutter.

“Then what is it about?”

Skylar and I both experienced panic attacks after we were rescued, but she still manages to go out. She handles her triggers well and her pack helps her when they occur.

But with me…

“They’re all still treating me like I’m fragile. If we went to just the bookstore, Skylar would check in with me every five minutes to make sure I’m okay. I’m better off just not going.”

Sandy is quiet for a moment, tapping her pen thoughtfully against her notebook. “And you’ve tried talking to her about this, right?”

“Kind of. I mean, how do you tell someone to stop caring about you? Skylar’s a natural worrier. She likes to panic over nothing.”

“Your wellbeing isn’tnothing, I would say.” Sandy looks at me pointedly. “But I agree, it can be difficult when our loved ones insist on treating us differently after traumatic events.”

I scoff. “No shit.”

“Hmm.”

Sandy stays silent, allowing me to process my thoughts.

“Maybe if…” I swallow, dreading the idea as it comes to mind. “Maybe if I met new people, it would be different.”

“How so?”

“I don’t know. Every customer at the café knows who I am and what happened. I think I need to encounter people that don’t know my story and don’t have these preconceived notions of me.”

Oh. I figured it out.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Sandy says.

Dread fills my gut. “But they might still recognize me,” I mutter. “Ever since Skylar’s press conference about me.”

Back when I went missing, Skylar’s pack was able to pull strings and allow her to attend a press conference about the missing Omegas and trafficking ring. She spoke in front of news reporters, and her speech went viral.

Everyone knew the name April Waters after that.

It’s what made a good Samaritan call in an anonymous tip and led to my rescue.

I will forever be grateful to my best friend and her pack—they are the reasons I’m here today.

But a tiny, awful part of me resents the other outcomes of Skylar’s bravery.

Everyone in town recognizes me as the girl who went missing.

The Omega with a horrible backstory.

I hate the recognition that dawns on a customer’s face when they realize who I am.

How can I ever move past what happened if I’m reminded of it every time I have a social interaction?

“Even if theydorecognize you,” Sandy says, interrupting my train of thought, “you are able to control the narrative about your life. You know your truth, they don’t. Own it.”

I shake my head. “It’s not as easy as you make it sound.”

“I’m aware. But you can do it. It’s your story, not theirs.”

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