When It Only Got Worse

Selena's POV

The silence between Sarah and me was so loud it made my ears itch.

We sat there in the corner of the café like two mannequins forgotten in a display window. My fingers were clenched around a paper napkin I'd been twisting for the last five minutes and it already looked like a dead flower, shriveled and torn. Sarah was stirring her coffee like it had secrets in it, like if she stirred long enough maybe it would swallow her whole and end the awkwardness.

I didn’t say anything.

She didn’t either.

Just the sound of spoons clinking, people laughing somewhere in the back, and the occasional squeak of someone dragging a chair across the wooden floor.

I shifted in my seat and looked at her from under my lashes. She caught the look. That look. My I-want-to-strangle-you look. My why-the-hell-did-you-bring-me-here look.

Her shoulders tensed. She winced. Then finally, "Okay. Okay. I'm sorry."

I didn’t answer. Just blinked at her, slow.

She sighed. "I didn’t know they’d be here. Honest. I just wanted to get you out of the house, not toss you into the pit of awkward misery and fake lip gloss."

I almost smiled. Almost. But the burn in my throat was still fresh. I picked at the edge of the napkin again.

Then I smelled it.

That overpowering cherry perfume that hit before the actual human arrived.

Cherry.

Of course.

I muttered under my breath. Something close to, "God, just kill me now," but it came out more like, "Gsshkilmeh."

Sarah stiffened. Her spoon froze mid-spin. I didn’t look up right away. I didn’t want to see her. I didn’t want to breathe the same air. But her voice hit me like sandpaper anyway.

"Selena, right?"

I looked up slowly, wishing I had laser vision so I could just vaporize her shoes. She was smiling. That fake smile girls use when they want to pretend they’re sweet but really they just want to spit in your drink.

"Hi," she said, dragging out the word like it hurt her to say it. Her voice was syrupy and venomous all at once. "I just wanted to say hi."

I blinked. Said nothing.

She brushed her hair back over her shoulder like we were in some shampoo commercial. She was wearing a tight cream crop top and jeans that probably cost more than my entire closet.

"How are you?" she asked.

I swallowed. My lips pressed together.

She tilted her head. "I never really knew you existed, to be honest. Until that whole thing in the hallway. You know. That dramatic little stone you threw about Dominic being a werewolf?"

Her laugh was light. Sweet. Deadly.

"I mean, wow. That was... creative," she said. "If you wanted his attention, there were other ways, you know? You could’ve dyed your hair or maybe worn something tighter. But werewolf? Bold."

I stayed quiet. My nails dug into my palms beneath the table.

Sarah let out a breath beside me. I felt her energy shift, like a fuse had just sparked. Her eyes narrowed. She leaned forward just enough to make it clear she wasn’t here for the pleasantries.

"Wow," she said, her voice like ice. "Cherry, was it? That’s your name, right? Makes sense. All sugar and no flavor."

Cherry blinked. Her smile flickered. "Excuse me?"

"You’re excused," Sarah said sweetly. "Run along now. Maybe go find someone else to throw your perfume at."

I almost laughed. Almost. But I was too busy trying not to fall apart. I kept my eyes down until they accidentally wandered. Across the café. Past the chairs. The counter. And landed right on him.

Dominic.

My breath caught.

He was staring right at us.

No, not us. Me.

His expression was unreadable. His jaw tight. His hands curled around his coffee like he wanted to crush the cup. And I knew in that moment, he had heard everything. Every single word.

My chest thudded once. Twice.

He didn’t say anything.

Didn’t move.

Didn’t even blink.

Just watched.

I looked away fast. My stomach twisted like someone had tied it into knots and then set it on fire.

Of course he wouldn't defend me. Why would he? He let me fall once. This wasn’t new.

I pushed back my chair. The legs scraped the floor too loudly. Heads turned. I didn’t care.

Sarah stood too. "Lena, wait—"

"I’m going home," I said. My voice was quiet but it felt like screaming.

She didn’t stop me.

I walked fast. Out the door. Into the street. The air was cold and it hit my face like a slap. My fingers were shaking but I shoved them into the sleeves of my sweater and just kept walking.

The sky was turning orange, like it couldn’t decide if it wanted to be day or night. The wind picked up, tugging at my hair, my clothes, like it wanted to pull me back in time.

I didn’t cry.

Not this time.

I was too tired.

I crossed the street without looking both ways and heard a horn honk far off but I didn’t care. My legs kept moving. Like they had their own mind.

Halfway down the block, I heard footsteps behind me.

Fast ones.

I didn’t turn.

"Selena."

My heart stopped.

I paused. Just one second.

Then kept walking.

"Selena, wait."

I spun around, my feet skidding on the pavement.

Dominic.