• Chapter 12

  • I stared at the photo, frozen in place.

  • My tears had long since dried up. My heart had finally, mercifully flatlined.

  • When we were little, my parents were always away on business trips. I’d spend most evenings at Zephyr’s house, eating dinner and doing homework together.

  • I missed my parents desperately but hated making his mom worry about me.

  • I’d lock myself in their bathroom, muffling my sobs with a towel.

  • Zephyr caught me once. After that, he made sure I was never alone long enough to feel that emptiness, always inventing new games or projects to distract me.

  • Together, we spent a whole weekend making matching stuffed animals.

  • A little rabbit and a little dog.

  • I was terrible at sewing–all thumbs and frustration–but Zephyr showed endless patience, guiding

  • my hands through each stitch.

  • My fingers ended up covered in pinpricks, tiny dots of blood on my fingertips.

  • He’d gently blow on each one, his face scrunched with concern, promising it would get easier.

  • little dog he’d made,

  • will be me keeping you company. And my bunny will be you

  • always be together, just like we’ll always be there for each

  • puppy still sat on my nightstand, threadbare from years of

  • love–had been casually handed to another girl like a meaningless trinket.

  • 12:47

  • Bride of Velvet

  • 38.5%

  • Chapter 12

  • opened my phone to

  • showed him grinning at the camera, the same smile I’d

  • Delete. Block. Remove.

  • From my phone.

  • From my life.

  • From my future.

  • became an anchor

  • at home, methodically excavating the

  • physical reminder of what

  • hours to buy

  • obsession.

  • to Iceland, where he wrapped his

  • vintage silver locket he found at that flea market in San Francisco, spending

  • as unique as you.”

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