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When I Stop Needing Him Chapter 12
From that day on, Brett tried everything to apologize. He sent long messages. He had Sally come to my door to plead his case, bringing up childhood promises and old pacts.Over and over, he swore he'd keep his word and look after me for the rest of his life.In the end, I asked Sally to pass along one message for me."I've grown up. I don't need anyone to look after me or protect me anymore."After that, Brett stopped reaching out.Two weeks later, I heard from a classmate that Brett had given up on Kingsley and applied to Northgate instead. I didn't feel a thing. I didn't go looking for him, and I didn't bother asking why.He was an adult. We'd each chosen our own paths, and that was all there was to it.What I didn't expect was a text from Wes the evening before the semester started."School starts tomorrow. Want me to come pick you up?"My heart sped up immediately. I couldn't think of a single reason to say no.On the first day, the entrance to Northgate was packed with n
When I Stop Needing Him Chapter 11
But early the next morning, Sally came to see me.She sat on the couch, her voice a mix of helplessness and worry. "Mara, Brett's been a wreck since yesterday. He's been locked in his room all day, won't eat, won't sleep. He still hasn't even filled out his own application. It's completely blank."Did you two have a fight? You've been close for so many years. Whatever happened, just talk it out. Don't let stubbornness get in the way."I shook my head gently, my expression calm. "We didn't fight, Sally. We just grew up. I have my own thoughts now, and my own plans for my life. I don't want to be tied to someone else's shadow anymore."Sally looked at me and sighed, and she seemed to understand what I meant.After she left, I picked up my phone and scrolled through social media. The first thing I saw was a new post from Tiana. The photo was of a university campus in Kingsley, with a caption that was barely subtle."After everything, at least we'll still be in the same city."Anyon
When I Stop Needing Him Chapter 10
A few days after I got home, the SAT results came out. That evening, both our families got together for dinner at my house. The table was loaded with food, and the atmosphere was warm and lively.Everyone assumed the same thing. Brett and I had grown up together, maintained similar grades, and made a pact when we were younger. We would both apply to Kingsley University, keep looking out for each other, and go to the same school.At the table, Sally took my hand and smiled warmly. "Mara, you and Brett always said you'd grow up together and go to the same college. Just put Kingsley down. That way you'll still have each other on campus."Brett sat nearby, watching me quietly. There was a faint trace of expectation in his eyes as he waited for my answer.That was when Brett's phone, sitting on the table, suddenly rang. The caller ID read Tiana.The second he picked up, his whole face lit up, and he couldn't hide the delight in his eyes. Tiana's excited voice carried clearly through th
When I Stop Needing Him Chapter 9
Wes spent the entire afternoon with me at the beach that day. When it was time to part ways, I was the one who suggested we stick together for the rest of the trip.As the sky darkened and the sun dipped below the horizon, Wes walked me back to my hotel and left on his own.Back in my room, I shed the exhaustion of the day and scrolled through social media on my phone. The very first post on my feed was one Tiana had just put up.It was a photo of her and Brett standing side by side on the beach at sunset. The angle was suggestive, the mood intimate, and the whole thing looked unmistakably romantic.The comments were flooded with congratulations from our high school classmates, and more than a few had tagged me, either teasing or just trying to stir the pot.I stared at the photo, and it didn't affect me at all. The heart that used to ache over things like this had gone cold a little at a time. I typed "congrats" in the comments, locked my phone, set it down, and went to take a sh
When I Stop Needing Him Chapter 8
"Brett."First, I have all the evidence I need. If you want to cover for her right now, fine, but the moment we're home, I'm following up and getting the compensation I'm owed."Second, who are you to decide whether someone is trustworthy? A professional guide who actually knows right from wrong is a lot more reliable than someone who blindly takes an outsider's side without even asking what happened."Third, I don't need you to come with me, and I definitely don't need your pity. Move out of the way."After I finished, I didn't bother looking at the fury on Brett's face. I lightly tugged on Wes's sleeve, then turned and walked away.Behind me, I could hear Brett calling my name, his voice tight with barely contained anger. I didn't slow down, and I didn't look back either.Wes let me hold onto his sleeve as we walked slowly along the shoreline. The ocean breeze swept over us, smoothing out the tension that had been building in my chest.After a long while, I couldn't hold it in
When I Stop Needing Him Chapter 7
The second the words left my mouth, Tiana looked like she'd just suffered the greatest injustice of her life. Her eyes welled up, and she immediately ducked behind Brett."Brett, I swear I didn't mean to. I was just trying to apologize to Mara. I barely touched her hearing aid. How was I supposed to know this would happen?"Brett didn't even hesitate. He shielded Tiana behind him, his brow drawn tight, looking at me with open irritation and bias."Mara, do you have to be so aggressive about this? It's just a hearing aid. It's not that big a deal. Tiana already apologized. Why do you have to keep dragging it out? She didn't do it on purpose. Can't you just let it go?"Listening to him defend her without even trying to understand what happened, something hollow opened up in my chest. 12 years of being childhood friends, and in his eyes, my side of the story wasn't worth hearing over whatever Tiana fed him.That was when Wes, who had been standing quietly beside me the whole time, st
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