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“Do not excuse him, sweetheart. He harassed you. By all accounts, he got aggressive with you on more than one occasion. That is not okay, Remi.” Tears stream down her cheeks. “Time and time again you tried to tell me what that boy was like, and I was so blinded by the Danforths’ reputation—”
“Mom, stop.” I let out an exasperated breath, and she slides her eyes to mine. They glitter regret and shame and other things I don’t want to see. “You can’t do this to yourself. What’s done is done. I’m not sitting here crying to myself, and you shouldn’t either.”
“Gosh, baby, you’re so strong. I don’t know how you do it.”
“Because I’ve had to, Mom. Michaela, the kids at school, they made me grow thick skin. And Bexley... well, I refuse to give him any more of my tears. He’s leaving Sterling Prep. Whatever James said worked. The Danforths feel it best that he finishes his education elsewhere. He can’t hurt me anymore.”
“That is... good, baby, but when I think about what he could have done to you,” she breathes, her body trembling.
“Mom.” I reach for her hand. “It’s okay.” The Danforths are rich, and in a place like Sterling Bay, money talks. Maybe Bexley does deserve worse, but for someone like him, taking everything from him—football, his life, his reputation—is enough.
It has to be.
“There’s something else, Mom... something I should have told you a long time ago.”
“Remi?” Fear washes over her, and I know this going to be a hard conversation. But she deserves to know the truth about her ex, and I need to cleanse that part of my life.
“This is going to be hard to hear, Mom...” I clasp her hand tighter and take a deep breath. “But it’s about Johnny.”
By the time I finished telling Mom about her ex-boyfriend’s seedy ways, she was a blubbering mess. In the end, I called James to come get her.
She left about thirty minutes later, wrapped in his arms, the two of them talking in hushed whispers. They asked me if I wanted to go with them and spend the night but the truth is, after everything, I need some space to process.
I wasn’t lying to Mom when I told her I’m done shedding tears over people who don’t deserve them, but it doesn’t change the fact that Bexley harassed me and Michaela tried to destroy me. It makes me wonder what I’ve done to deserve such a shitty life.
People talk about fate and destiny and some grand plan; well, if that’s the case, I want a refund, because the last five years have been nothing but heartache and disappointment.
But I also know I’m stronger now. I know my worth and what I deserve out of life. I have friends I trust in Hadley, Conner, and maybe even Cole.
And I have Ace.
I have a guy who will pick me up when I fall and hold me when I cry. A guy who would start a war for me despite the consequences.
A guy I’m excited to walk into the future with.
I’m not naive though. I know there’ll be road bumps along the way. It would be a boring kind of life if there weren’t.
Every scar on my heart, every betrayal and disappointment and heartache, only makes me stronger.
Fearless.
It makes me feel determined to go after the things in life that I want.
No more hiding.
No more regret.
No more shame.
Our past shapes us, but it doesn’t define us.
My cell pings, and I grab it off the coffee table, smiling when I see Ace’s name.
Ace: You didn’t want to stay over?
Remi: I just needed some space...
Ace: Are you saying I’m overbearing?
