Page 142 of All Your Hate

“You showed me parts of yourself that made me fall, but it was all a lie." I can feel the darkness starting to creep back in to my head. The only way I know to rid myself of it is with Noah. Is this what he wanted all along? To make me reliant on him for my own survival. "You’ve been manipulating me this entire time. Making me become someone I’m not.”

He cups my cheek, his thumb tracing my lips, soothing me. “This is always who you were meant to be, I just helped you realize that.” My eyelids feel heavy and I have to resist the urge to part my lips for him and let him in. “The killer was already inside you. You’re my fucking queen, Wynter. I did this for you.”

I force myself out of the sick trance he’s putting me under and open my eyes to his lies. None of this was for me. It was all for him.

When I push at his chest again he finally backs away, giving me room to bend down and snatch my dagger from my boot.

If a killer is what I am now then I may as well use that part of me to save myself from him. “You don’t get to touch me anymore! You knew I loved you yet you still didn’t give me thetruth. I can’t trust anything out of your mouth again. Take me to her now or I swear to god I will end this right here.”

With my dagger pointed at him, we head outside. I should toss the thing away once I’m done with him, but it’s become a part of me now and I can't bear to part with it.

Dread weighs me down with each step that I take toward the groundskeeper’s cottage. I think back to the first time I saw it. How the lights were on and Noah lied to me about who was inside. I'm an idiot for believing him so easily.

I should be happy to know that Summer’s safe, but it feels like I’m on a slow march to the gallows.

What do I say to her? Is she even going to want to see me again after I left her all alone? What has Noah been telling her?

“Did she know I was here?” I ask as we reach the door.

“No. I told her you were helping me take down some bad people.”

“She’s a kid, she doesn’t need to know that.”

“I never told her the details. She thinks you’re a spy of some kind.” He chuckles like he’s remembering some inside joke. I feel sick with anger and jealousy. He doesn’t get to bond with her like any of this is normal.

Up close, the building is simply a cute little cottage. Nothing foreboding about it at all. So why do I feel like I’m about to step into a prison?

Unlocking the door, Noah says, “Wynter, let me try to explain.”

“Open the door, Noah. Open the fucking door!” I hiss quietly at him in case Summer can hear us.

He swings the door open wide and steps aside, letting me take the first step over the threshold.

I expected the building to be rundown, but it’s bright and homely. Its cute aesthetic matches the exterior. There's no doubtthat this is the place on the cameras. Looking up I see one in the corner of the ceiling.

When I walk further down the hall, I hear Summer's voice and it sends me spiraling.

I can’t do this.

I’ve imagined our reunion in my head over and over. It saved me on so many dark nights, but now that it’s here I want to run in the opposite direction.

Noah comes to my side and takes hold of my hand, but I snatch it back. He doesn’t get to ruin this moment.

“If you’ve hurt her at all I’ll—” My throat closes up around my threat as I realize I don’t want to have to hurt him. He's been hiding all his pain after losing his father. He’s not cried once. But maybe he’s incapable of it. Maybe all of his vulnerabilities have been an act.

Moving forward, I push open the wooden door at the end of the hall.

Charlie sees me first and she looks like she’s seen a ghost. I feel like one. I don’t feel real as I hover here.

She doesn’t say anything, just looks at me then at the dagger in my hand. Shit. I let it go and it clatters to the ground.

Summer finally looks up from where her eyes have been glued to the television. I bite down hard on my trembling lip. The first thing she sees cannot be me crying.

“Sunshine,” I say and she breaks into a huge smile, running at me with open arms.

“Wynnie, you're here! I’ve missed you so much!” She doesn’t sound upset at all. I look over at Charlie and she’s staring behind me, a pensive expression on her face. Noah’s still there, I can feel his presence.

I don’t know what to say. Every word vanishes as it reaches my tongue.

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