Page 64 of Us Deadly Few

Serene knew something was wrong.

After Marissa had grilled her with questions for taking so long, Serene whispered several times, asking Khalani if she was okay.

She said she was fine.

She lied.

At night, she retreated to a quiet corner of the house, clutching Ana’s journal, needing to write her scattering thoughts.

But her mind kept circling back to Takeshi.

In that final moment, Takeshi hadn’t looked at her like a protector in her story.

He stared at Khalani as if she were the villain in his.

Do you see me?

Therealme?

The me no one knows?

The me hiding behind scars?

The me with a heart too big for my chest?

I think I hid for so long

Because I didn’t even want to see myself

Wearing skin that wasn’t my own

Smiling through the invisible tears

Moving when I didn’t know where to go

There was a brief moment

When you lookedintome and notatme

And you poked the walls I carefully crafted

Like tiny dots in the night sky for you to explore

Because you saw the light that created me

When I only saw the darkness that forged me

I forgive who I was

And accept the person I am

But in the silence of a fading night

A truth whispers for no one but me to hear

My darkest parts miss being held

By the deadliness of you.

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