Mag-log inI passed my hand over my face and leaned back against the cushions as Amy went on to talk about each exercise. It all felt silly and useless, although I wouldn’t say that out loud. Not to her face, at least.But the truth was, I didn’t think any of this would work. Not when there was still a looming
Ellie’s POVI turned slowly to look at Dominic.“You hired a couples therapist?” I blurted out. “Since when?”“Since this morning, when it had been all night and you didn’t come home,” Dominic replied easily. “I figured it might be beneficial for us to talk to someone. A person who’s unbiased and tr
“You mentioned trauma before,” he said once they were gone. “And I’ve been thinking about that, too. I think whatever happened to you, whatever it is you won’t talk about, it’s affecting the way you see me. The way you see everything.”He wasn’t wrong. But he also wasn’t right, either. It was more c
Ellie’s POVI took the coffee from him, wrapping both hands around the warm cup, and followed him out of the library. The campus was already bustling as students went to their morning classes, many of them holding cups just like these ones.We walked in silence for a while, sipping our coffee. Domin
“But I’m hurt.”Sarah’s expression had hardened. Her jaw was set, and her eyes were shiny with unshed tears.“I’m really, really hurt that you didn’t tell me sooner,” she said.I opened my mouth, but she kept going.“I thought I was a better friend to you than that,” she said. Her voice cracked a li
Ellie’s POVHuffing through her nose, Sarah dragged one of the nearby chairs over and sat down in front of me. She folded her hands in her lap and waited with a quirked brow.I took a breath and started talking.In as much detail as I could, I told her everything.I started, of course, with how I ha
My jaw tightens.“Did you also hear about the massive pitfall trap on that ‘easier’ route? Yeah, I’m quiet sure you did.”“And just what are you implying?!” Karina snapped.“That you messed with me before,” I hissed. “And people don’t change.”The room goes dead silent.Karina’s face twists. “Like I
Ellie POV I wake to the ache first. My back, my legs, the dull soreness that reminds me I slept on dirt and roots instead of a bed.Then my ankle snaps me awake, it’s throb slowly growing like my consciousness. The morning light was beaming down the pit, and my arm covered my face.Too bright.But
Ellie POV The tent smells like antiseptic and damp canvas.Lucas lowers me onto the cot with too much care. His hands hover even after I’m settled, fingers flexing as if he doesn’t know where to put them now that I’m not actively falling apart.He starts with giving me some pain herbs and meds, “I’
Ellie POV There’s a shift.One i felt since the morning.But especially now.The way the air in the cafeteria thickens the moment I step inside, like I’ve walked into a room where a fight was about to start and I was center stage.My leg aches with every step. I favor it without thinking, my limp s







