How can I fly away from him when he is the one that clipped my wings?
Girl meets boy.
Boy and girl become childhood friends.
Girl and boy fall in love.
Boy cheats on girl in last year of college and breaks her heart.
It's the same tragic story that'...
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Five Months Ago
Alek, Amelia, and I climb out of the Uber and make our way to the bar's entrance. I don't really plan on drinking a lot, but none of us want to take the chance just in case we change our minds.
Better safe than sorry.
Music filters through any time the door opens to carry people in and out. Friends stumble together toward waiting sober rides, couples smile intimately as they walk to their vehicle while others hold hands as they make their way inside. A group of people stand outside, smoking and conversing with one another as they wait for others to join them.
I don't know how long I stand in place while emotions bombard me, but it's enough to observe all of that. Amelia waits on one side of me while Alek waits on the other, neither rushing me and it makes the love I have for them that much more profound.
My heart races erratically, as if it's going to jump out of my chest any minute. It's been doing that since we pulled up and I noticed Keaton's truck parked up front next to the entrance.
"Charlie?" Amelia says softly, reaching out to tangle her fingers with mine. "We can walk away now. Go back home. We don't have to do this if you're not ready."
Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply and hold it for a few seconds before blowing it out slowly, repeating the steps a couple more times, like Rebecca showed me. Once my anxiety has worked its way back under the surface, I open my eyes.
My thoughts are more apparent and the chaotic vortex of emotions inside of me has calmed down.
I lift my chin and straighten my spine. "No. It's time." I squeeze Amelia's hand and give them both a smile. "I'm truly ready, guys. It's going to be hard, but I think I've already faced the hardest part of all of this, wouldn't you say?"
Amelia drops my hand and lifts both of hers to cup my face. She drops her face toward mine and presses our foreheads together. "You never fail to astound me with how fucking strong you are, Char. You're the best fucking friend a girl could ask for and I'd go to damn war for you. I don't know what the future holds for you and Keaton, but I'm going to be right here with you every step of the way." She pulls away and her eyes are fierce while her mouth draws tight. "But I will promise you this, if he ever fucking hurts you like this again, I will not hesitate to make his intestines my new jewelry. It'll go well with the orange jumpsuit I'll be wearing in my motherfucking mugshot." Amelia squeezes my cheeks together, drops a quick kiss to the tip of my nose, and steps back. "Ride or die, babycakes."
Tears fill my eyes and I widen them in a hurry while fanning them with my hand to keep them from falling. "Fuck. Now, look at what you did."
"Feeling totally inadequate over here, ladies," Alek grumbles, his hand brushing against my back.
We laugh and the moment breaks.
"All right. Let's do this," I say, taking the first step toward the door.
