Page 92 of Frozen Flames

“It’s not that simple—to be constantly stared at and pitied everywhere you go,” I rebut. It’s like she forgot how it was in the beginning when I left the house.

People can be cruel with their stares.

She stares at the ceiling as if she’s about to cry. “Why didn’t you tell me you felt this way?”

I swallow, and she crawls to the end of the bed, sitting on her knees, reaching for my hand.

And I swat her hand away.

Because shecheatedandsleptwith her boss.

“Well, I’m telling you now.”

What does this change?

Do I even want it to mean anything or for something to change?

“And that’s the problem. You’re telling me now, not then. You can be happy with her, you know. It’s okay,” she says calmly.

She’s delusional.

I’m going to lose my shit.

What is wrong with me?

I don’t want Gemma, I want Claire, yet I can’t leave Gemma. I don’t know how to. What if it doesn’t work out between Claire and me?

What if I can’t sort out my life?

The fact that Gemma can look at me with a straight face and say these wordsmeansshe’s completely done with me.

She doesn’t stop there. She keeps going.

“You’ll be okay. Youwillbe happy one day.” Her voice breaks, and I can’t stop the tears from falling. I refuse to look at her as I blink and try to shove these emotions back down to wherever the hell they came from. “You can continue drawing and maybe start working at the tattoo parlor? Even if for an hour. You can—”

This is it.

We’re done.

“Stop! Why the fuck do you want to leave meso bad?”

I close my eyes as she says, “You deserve better. We both do.”

She’s not wrong.

Though my ego wants to win this last battle.

“Why, because you’re whoring around with your boss, or because you love him?”

She doesn’t answer me, and it destroys me.

The damage is so penetrating to my chest, it’s as if someone is repeatedly stomping a brick on my lungs. My jaw feels like it’s going to lock and my teeth might break from the impact.

“I hate you,” I tell her, my voice full of venom.

I can’t believe this is it.

All those years, all those memories, all those fears.

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