*~~Chapter Twelve~~*

{~~Avery Sterling~~}

I stood before the mirror, my reflection distorted by tears that streamed relentlessly down my cheeks. The sight of my own despair only intensified the ache within me. Each tear was a testament to my overwhelming sense of inadequacy, a reminder of a familiar pain that seemed to echo through the corridors of my past. Fuck, nobody likes an ugly crier. But have I ever been beautiful at anything?

"Worthless," I whispered to my reflection, my voice trembling with raw emotion. "So fucking worthless."

The weight of those words reverberated through my soul, dredging up memories of high school—of longing, rejection, and the relentless pursuit of validation. Darren had been my misguided beacon of hope once, a flickering light in the darkness of my unrequited desires. I wanted to get a break from mooning over Logan. I hadn't wanted him as much as I wanted Logan, but I had convinced myself that perhaps Darren was attainable. I was wrong.

"He just didn't want me," I admitted t