Page 102 of Diem

My soul withers into a husk and I’m pretty sure I watch the pieces curl up and fly away as Hailey touches Diem’s arm. Focusing on her fingertips caressing his skin, I say quietly, “You’re a fucking monster.”

I spy him flinch out of the corner of my eye before he grabs my chin and says brusquely, “I told you to stay the fuck away.”

Pulling away, I whisper, “Gladly.”

∞∞∞

Diem

Watching her walk away is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and once she’s through the door with that fucker’s hand at her back, I turn to Ollie.

His face is made of stone, and I shake my head before spitting, “I did it. I’m done.”

He doesn’t respond and I head for the street because if I stay, I’m afraid of what I might do.

This is the end of something, that I acknowledge, was the best part of my world and I don’t know how to fucking breathe past it.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Maeve

It’s true. I was the pitiful nerd who waxed poetic over his pretty peepers.

Although it stings to hear him speak about my art, I concede it might have been a little pathetic. Except Diem always seemed pleased by my talent. And to be perfectly clear I did not give him that poem, he found it.

In school, I’m barraged by laughter and teasing, some of which is more inventive when I’m insulted via iambic pentameter.

After avoiding Matt with the questions, I didn't have the energy to answer, I hid away in the bathroom. Now I’m sitting in Algebra, gazing blindly at the teacher, all thoughts of math or anything else as mundane as life gone.

I’ve never wanted to cut up as badly as I do right this minute because when I walked away from Diem, my brother and Ramsay, I realized just how fucked up everything is. Those assholes abandoned me and now they’ve betrayed me too. I feel so fucking cold.

When Hailey steps into my path after class, I drop my bag at my feet and wait, staring over her shoulder at the wall.

“Eyes on me bitch,” she snarls.

Turning dead eyes her way, I raise a brow. I guess my days of backing down are well and truly gone. Now I’ve got zero fucks to give.

Empty doesn’t even begin to explain the void in my chest. I simply don’t care anymore, and I crave the pain.

“Diem is mine,” she sneers.

I have no idea what she’s talking about because I thought that was pretty clear but then again, I think sometimes she makes shit up just for an excuse to come at me. Last year she cornered me in the restroom and punched me in the gut for looking at her weird.

Her brows pinch over her eyes when I don’t respond. “Well?”

“Well, what?” I ask, tiredly. “Are you going to come at me? What are we waiting for?”

Her nostrils flare and she winds back to punch me. I take the first hit, directly to the mouth and a burst of pain follows, flaring to life. A slow smile crosses my face and I raise my gaze to find Ollie standing behind her with a frown.

He searches my gaze but there’s nothing left. I’m as empty as his fucking soul.

Clenching my hand in a fist, I haul back and swing, glancing off her chin. She gasps and steps back, clutching her cheek.

That’s right. I’m not laying down this time.

“You little…” she spits and then she’s on me. Stumbling back, I fall to the floor with her on top and grab at her wrists but she slips free, slamming my head against the floor.

Stars dance before my eyes and bucking under her, I swing at her head. Her shrieks echo in the hall and I’m aiming for another blow to her skull when she’s lifted from me, and I meet Ollie’s wide eyed stare.

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