Page 109 of Faking It With the Small-Town Bad Boy

down to the kitchen floor. I hold my legs in a hug, sure that if I let go,

I’ll break and seep all over the floor. I can’t do this right now. I can’t

afford to break and lose my sanity, but he’s done this to me.

How does someone just walk away from something they’ve had for a

decade and act like it doesn’t bother them? It has to bother him—it’s

bothering me! I love having Percy here, and I can see now that there

are guys in this world, even in this tiny town, who are decent and

sweet.

But what if he leaves me too? That is the plan, after all.

I can’t let that pain touch me again. Looking at the mess of my rage, I

know I’ve lost my control this morning. I shouldn’t have thrown

anything, and it’s almost worrisome that I have. But he’s driven me

to the place of no return.

He’s given me an insecurity I didn’t know I’d ever have to face.

For now, I rest on the floor against the kitchen cabinet while

wondering if I’ll end up being crazy and scorned for the rest of my

life while Farrah and Ryan go live their happily ever after.

That thought alone makes me weep.

JAGGED EDGES

Percy

Playing in the bar doesn’t bother me as much as it used to. Then

again, it wasn’t exactly bothersome, but it was a constant struggle.

Now, I can only taste the impression of Leah’s lips and not the sting

of alcohol that I accidentally took a long sip of after our most recent

show.

The place is empty during the day except for the bartender, a young

woman who passes the liquor to the strays that leak out of the valley

from Dingy Hills for their lunchtime whiskey. I used to be one of

those people, buying drinks in the middle of the day. Now I feel like

an old wheel that’s been worn down and smoothed to the threads, no

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