𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 with soft and mature themes.
College senior Sierra adores her best friend Brian, but he inadvertently thwarts her love life on occasion. She didn't expect to meet Nick that night, but they quickly fel...
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"Sierra, what—"
My heart stalls at the familiar tin reverberating. Cringing, I turn and face Brian.
Dubious eyes meet mine as he rattles an Altoids tin in my direction. "These aren't mints, are they?"
I shake my head, phantom scars searing my skin, and I'm unable to find my voice.
"Are you going to explain, or?" His voice quavers at the end of his question.
I slowly nod at him, rolling my sleeves to my elbows. "Yes, that's what you think it is."
I show him the inside of my forearms, then flip them over. "And no, I did not."
Sighing in relief, he plops down on my bed. "Legs?"
"Nope."
"Swear on my mom?"
"Swear on your dad and grandma, too."
Brian holds out his arm in invitation, and I slide next to him, reclining together, gaze transfixed on the ceiling.
"I miss him," I whisper after a long minute. It's been three whole nights since Nicholas left me.
"If he doesn't understand why he's an idiot, then he's a moron."
The first night, I cried buckets, and Brian suffered from a fever and chills. I listlessly stared at the television, stroking his hair until he fell asleep.
Day two, the urge to self-injure prickled inside, but I merely examined my old kit. I found a red tip marker and drew tiny dots on my ankle while drowning in a sad playlist.
I holed up and forced myself to write my paper for Gender Communication and texted with Nick's younger sister. I didn't tell her.
Day three of misery ended, and Bri came over to convince me to go to the gym. I was gathering my stuff when he found my tin in plain view.
When he pried it open five years ago, eager to snag a mint, he was horrified with the sharp objects and bandages he found.
Years of behavioral therapy were needed to break habitual cycles and find peace that didn't come from another person.
I understand why Brian's face fell when he discovered the box, but I didn't lie. We skipped the gym and spent the night studying for one of his exams and ordered Hawaiian pizza.
The days fly by, but the hours crawl. I texted Nicholas every day but limited it to one. After exams, I planned to put my foot down and demand he love me again. Once per day seemed to be reasonable until then.
Accidentally meeting him in the courtyard tonight flipped the script. I sprinted, calling for him to turn around, but he disappeared.
With a confused smile, KJ answered the door and checked in his empty bedroom. He assumed Nick was camped out with me; he hadn't seen him much this week.
