-10-

[Fake Friends]

SIERRA

I sat up in bed, a throbbing headache attacking my brain as the sunlight seeped into the room, bringing light to every dark corner. I ran my hands over my face and rubbed my eyes, straining to remove the sleep lurking over my tensed muscles. My body was paying the price for not getting enough sleep last night.

How could I sleep when all I did was cry? I cried all night, weakening my already exhausted state. All my life, I fancied a contented home with a loving husband, two beautiful kids, and a house to call my own—just like my parents had. That fairytale concept with the white picket fence was never something I cared to want.

What I cared for was happiness, fulfillment, and love. However, assuming Jensen would have been the one to give me that future or believing he wanted the same thing as I did, was my mistake. One I wouldn’t make again.

Instead, my reward was betrayal by the two people I thought meant more to me. Neither of them cared about me. They didn’t