Page 176 of The Illicit Play
Big trouble.
My face feels frozen, and even though I want to cry, I’m not sure I can.
Everything is so cold.
I’m gonna die up here on this lonely little ledge.
And all I can think about is Grady.
It’s so sad that our perfect forest escape couldn’t become something more. It’s all so complicated, and Wily’s so mad, and my parents are so ashamed of me.Even if all that wasn’t in the way… Grady’s in love with Teah, and there’s no place for me.
Our bubble was popped the second we left the forest, and my heart is breaking.
I fell in love with him between these trees.
I fell in love with him as we watched the sun lighting up these rocks.
I blink, staring at the golden glow warming the rock face in front of me. It’s so beautiful. Dawn is here. A new day. A fresh start.
Or a fresh end in my case.
Shit, I don’t want to die.
I whimper, tucking in my chin as a fresh set of shivers rush over me. It’s like my body is instinctively fighting, putting in a last-ditch effort because I don’t want this to be over.
“I just want to make things right,” I whisper, thinking of my brother, my parents… Grady.
Grady.
Grady.
“Blake!”
I can hear his voice in my head, calling to me even though he’s miles away.
“Blake!”
He’ll be at the hospital, yet I can still hear him so close.
“Blake! Where are you?”
My forehead wrinkles in confusion, my eyes blinking as I hold my breath and wait.
“Blaaaake!” His voice carries across the air, over my head and…
He’s close.
He’s…
“Grady?” I scream, my throat aching as I force the word out of me as loud as I can manage. I hold my breath and don’t hear anything, so I try again. “Grady!”
“Blake!” There’s a scrambling, a rustling above me, and a fresh shot of adrenaline punches through my veins.
“I’m here! I’m here!” I shout, my body screaming at me when I try to move.
“Blake! I’m coming!”
“I’m here!” I shout once more for good measure and strain to look up the rock, willing him to appear. To…
