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.

I’d seen

through

seemed like fate was

late–night study sessions, even his bad–boy phase–I’d

it all as part of our journey together.

wanted absolutely nothing to do with

strength to explain everything to my parents or deal with the fallout with Zephyr. I’d

to see you earlier, brought a huge box of these black cherries–they’re your favorite, right?”

12.47

Bride of

35.0%

Chapter 2

but they’ll be back

a beat, a flutter of something I hated myself for feeling.

people knew cherries were my favorite–besides my parents, only Zephyr knew.

blanket tightly, my emotions a

tiny, pathetic part of me hoped it

realized what he’d

somehow go back to before I knew

I hadn’t wasted years of my life loving someone who saw me as

knock, and a warm male voice called out: “Mrs.