Page 78 of A Hurt So Good

“You make us happy too, Arya. More than you know,” I tell her. I see the tears shimmering in her eyes, but she quickly blinks them back. Our girl isn’t a crier unless she has to be.

“It’s just … I’ve never had anything like this before,” she says. War kisses her cheek, and Harlon grabs her hand in his.

“If we’re being honest, we’ve never had anything like this either,” War admits to her. She looks between the three of us and smiles brightly.

“It’s like I get something different from all of you. And I’m just … me.”

“You don’t see it the way we see it, Arya. You give us each something different, too. Something each of us needs,” I tell her. She reaches up and swipes at her face before laughing.

“I’m not going to cry! I swear to God, if you make me cry, I’m going to be pissed.” The three of us laugh.

“No crying. It’s a good day.”

“I want cotton candy,” she announces. With her legs still wrapped around me, I carry her over to the concession stand. War orders us all something before we walk over and sit down at a picnic table. The sun’s going down, and soon, they’ll have live music out here.

Arya climbs off my lap and sits next to me, picking at her cotton candy. Then she pulls off a piece for each of us, shoving it in our mouths.

“It’s so beautiful out here when the sun goes down,” she says, looking out over the ocean. Harlon pulls her into his side as we all enjoy being together.

Soon, the sun goes down, and the live band plays. Arya is entranced, watching them in awe. I love watching her like this. So interested in things.

And just like that, I’m lost in her.

Chapter 31

Warren

They say time heals all wounds, but I wonder about Arya. The light in her eyes right now tells me she didn’t have the best childhood even before her dad did what he did.

I’m not saying mine was great; it wasn’t, and I have the scars to prove it. But our little bird? She deserves more. And there are days when I wonder if she’d be better off without me in her life. Obviously, I still have some deep issues with my childhood, or at least that’s what everyone thinks.

They think that’s where my dark obsessions come from, but I can’t be too sure about that. But the more I watch her, the more I know I need her in my life.

“Oh my God. Dance with me!” She yells over the music as she leaps from the table and grabs my hand. The other two laugh as she drags me out into the middle of the pier and forces me to dance.

“Why aren’t you moving?” she asks me as she moves her body to the music.

“I’m watching you.”

“You can’t watch me and dance at the same time, War. Come on before this song is over,” she whines. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her closer before I start moving. It’s not a fast song and not really my thing either, but for her, I’ll do it.

“You know we’re the only ones dancing, right?” I ask her. She doesn’t care. I can see it in her eyes.

“So? The rest of them are scared to be looked at.”

“And you’re not.” She shakes her head before resting it on my chest. “Can I ask you something?” Now, she looks back up at me.

“Anything.”

“After what your dad did, what was life like for you?”

“At first, it was really hard. I didn’t understand at the time he was in jail, so I would always think he was out there somewhere waiting for me. Mom was always busy, so it was just me. She stopped traveling for a while since there wasn’t anyone to watch me anymore, and I think that really pissed her off.”

“Did she ever give a shit about you?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugs. “I think she did at one point, but the more surgeries I had to have, the more help I needed, and she would get angrier. She sent me to counselors and shrinks and all that shit, but there was always a part of me that thought I didn’t need the help. That I could handle it on my own. As I got older, I was more embarrassed than anything. Can you imagine being a thirteen-year-old girl and having to change in front of everyone for gym class? That shit really hit me hard. I would sneak to the stalls just so no one could see me.”

“What about as you got older? Did you get over it then?”

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