The Ruined Bride of Velvet Nights by Brick Moving Ant

Chapter 8

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital room.

Mom helped raise my bed, her face lined with worry: “How are you feeling, honey? Still hurting?”

“Sweetheart, I know senior year is crazy important, but you can’t keep pushing yourself this hard.”

“You spent your entire summer break at that competition instead of relaxing. I know grades matter, but all I care about is you being healthy and happy.”

My throat tightened with emotion, her concern washing over me like a warm blanket, and I

mumbled: “I know.”

I hadn’t told Mom about the Stanford automatic admission from winning the competition.

Before all this, I’d planned my entire future around attending UC Davis with Zephyr, or at least somewhere close by.

Zephyr and I had been in this weird almost–relationship for so long that both our families had

noticed and seemed thrilled about it.

Everyone just assumed we were endgame–that we’d naturally end up together.

how I’d seen it

up together, sitting next to each other through

fate was pushing us

occasional brushing of hands, the late–night study sessions, even

it all as part

nothing to do with him.

explain everything to my parents or deal with the fallout with Zephyr. I’d just let things naturally implode and pick up the

a fresh cherry in my hand, smiling warmly: “Someone came to see you earlier,

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Chapter 2

your bed for quite a while. Just stepped out but they’ll be back any minute. You should thank them when they

a flutter of something I

were my favorite–besides my parents, only Zephyr

the blanket tightly, my emotions a chaotic

bathroom, the cruel words–a tiny, pathetic part of me hoped it was him.

he’d realized what he’d done.

somehow go back to

maybe, I hadn’t wasted years of my

a gentle knock, and a warm male voice called out: “Mrs. Johnson? How’s Phoebe doing?