Chapter 313

He holds out his hand and I take it, shaking.

His grip is firm and cool, and there’s something almost comforting about it.

“I’m Emily,” I tell him in return.

His smile deepens. “That’s a pretty name.”

I laugh at this.

Ronan might be too charming for his own good.

“I think it’s pretty basic myself, but you’re welcome to your opinion.”

He gives a quick, friendly laugh.

“So, Emily, what has you out here looking so down on a day like today?”

I take a slow breath, working out how I can explain without sounding crazy.

“Something bad happened to me, something traumatizing,” I begin, choosing my words carefully. “Something that went on for a long time. I finally got out just recently, and now my family are treating me like I’m fragile and broken. Maybe because I am.

7

But I don’t want to be. And I can’t stay with my family, I can see that. It’s just not going to work. They’ll hate me when the realize the truth of everything that happened to me. Except I don’t know what to do, and don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Ronan nods, listening with sympathy and understanding.

And I realize it’s something no one has bothered to do since I got home.

They all just assume they know what happened to me, and what they should do about it.

did have that moment with

wasn’t real..

he–more than anyone–would be first in line to kill me if or when the truth

actually being extremely strong and brave. You survived that bad thing you went through. And maybe these might seem like empty words, but I’m sure if you look inside yourself, you’ll

definitely different, but I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider that I might be

to me.

not in

www

literally torture, but I can do things now that I

not saying that makes it all

go back and have a choice, I’d choose not to ever go through that, because I can’t exactly say

puts me in greater danger from people like Axel.

the new me, if I decide

special, Emily,” Ronan continues in a sincere voice. “In a way that no one in your family can probably see. But I get the feeling that’s

how much this stranger has actually seen me- in a way Aaron

just

caught up in their own drama–and I was gone for ten years, so they’ve all moved on without me–that they

don’t mean in a spiteful way, I just

kind of way.

their loss if they can’t see any of

I’m speechless.

don’t know what to say, but I’m deeply touched by his words.

you,” I say to him, emotion catching in my

smiles as he gets to his feel.

times a week,” he says. “Maybe I’ll see you around

hope I do see him

to my feet, and we

step forward and hug him.

surprised, but then hugs me back, and it’s nice.

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