Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“You really don’t have to explain this,” I tell him, moving out of his touch so his hands fall to the sides.
“You’re my friend,” he says the words, and I see his turmoil. I see the pain in his eyes; his face ravished in pain. “A friend doesn’t just leave.”
“A friend.” I say the words softly, and the door opens to the lobby. “A friend.” I look down and then look back up at him. “You warned me,” I start to tell him. “Told me that all we would be is friends.” I shake my head, and the tears just don’t stop. It’s like the dam has been opened, and it’s all rushing out.
“Zoe,” he says my name, his voice breaking.
“I can’t be your friend,” I tell him, walking out of the elevator, and then stop, taking what little bit of strength I have inside me. He watches me, his own tears in his eyes. “I can’t be your friend because I’m in love with you.” I say the words out loud instead of just in my head, and his breath hitches, and he opens his mouth. “I’m in love with you with everything that I have,” I tell him, “but it’s not enough. I can’t love you for both of us.”
I take one more look at him before I turn and walk away from him. I walk out the door and turn to walk away from him, but I have to stop at the corner and lean against the wall. My sobs come out, my mouth flying to my hand to stop the noise. Help, I need help. I turn the corner and sit on the concrete sidewalk, ignoring the cold going through me like knives. I grab the phone out of my purse, my hands shaking like leaves falling off the trees in fall.
She answers after one ring. “Hey, did you find him?”
“Zara,” I say, and the sob rips through me again.
“Where are you?” she shouts. “Zoe,” she says, and then I hear her talking to someone. “Turn around!” she shouts. “Turn around now.” Then she comes back to me. “Zoe, I’m on my way. I’m going to be there in seven minutes. I need you to stay where you are.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
“Are you alone?” she asks, her voice low. “Tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m not okay,” I sob out. “Not even one bit,” I say, and then I listen to her telling me that she’s going to be right here, and everything is going to be okay. I don’t know if it takes her seven minutes; I don’t know anything except seeing a truck slow down in front of me and the door opening before the truck comes to a full stop, and I hear her calling my name. She takes me into her arms, and I sob, clinging to her. “I love him. I love him so much,” I say into her neck, and she rubs my head.
“It’s going to be okay.”
“Sweetheart, you need to move, so I can pick her up.” I hear Evan’s voice. “Let me put her in the truck, and we can take her home.”
She slowly lets me go, and Evan scoops me into his arms. Zara runs ahead of him to open the back door of the truck, and she gets in. Evan sets me down, and Zara puts the seat belt around me. I don’t know what they talk about. I know nothing because I’m living in a nightmare, a nightmare I can’t wake up from.
I close my eyes and try to forget it all. I try to block it out. I don’t know where we are going, and I don’t care because I know I’ll be safe now. Zara will make sure I’m okay. I hear Evan talk.
“I can’t right now,” he hisses. “I don’t give a shit what he fucking needs. I can’t be there!” he shouts, and I blink my eyes open and see he’s on the phone. “Fine,” he hisses. “I need to take care of something, and I’ll be right there.” He tosses his phone on the empty passenger seat. “Change of plans.” He looks into the back. “We are going to go to the brownstone.”
“Okay,” Zara says, not asking why.
“Why does it hurt so much?” I whisper to her, looking up at her. “Like right here,” I say with my hand to my chest. “It’s feels like little shattered glass is being sliced into me.”
She doesn’t answer me because the car comes to a stop, and Evan gets out of the car, opening the door in the back for Zara, and then he is suddenly at my side of the car. “Hey there, beautiful,” he says to me, and I sit up. My hair falls in front of my face, but he pushes it away and tucks it behind my ears. “You’re going to be okay.”