AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m always turned away, aren’t I?
“For what?” I say faintly, my pulse thudding loudly in my ears.
He flicks his gaze up through his lashes—his black pupils glittering. “For listening.”
And my heart just…thunks, flopping over somewhere in my chest.
I’m vaguely aware of nodding, and then I’m striding away, storming toward the trees, putting much-needed distance between us.
The blood roars in my ears, drowning out the ocean.
For listening…
At the last possible second, I twist around, and call out loudly, “Skyler!”
He hasn’t moved from his spot near the water. He lifts his head, cocking it curiously.
“Stay away from the cliffs.”
At first, he says nothing, and I count my breaths. One, two, thre—
“Okay.”
The breath leaves me with a whoosh, and I nod.Good enough.
I’m not even sure what inspired me to say it, other than the reminder of how I found him that first day. Between that and our conversation just now, what he revealed…
I heard you, Skyler. Fuck, I heard you.
Please hear me too. Please listen…
Without so much as a goodbye or see ya later, I do what I always do when shit gets too deep—too real, too confusing…
I turn my back and bolt.
All I can do is trust him…
This stranger.
This kid.
This boy who just needed someone to believe him.
It has to be enough.
CHAPTERSEVEN
SKYLER
My first week at Black Diamond passes at a snail’s pace.
It’s only Wednesday, and I’m already struggling to accept that I havesevenmore weeks of this.
Rehab is certainly not what I was expecting.
Aside from my one-on-one sessions with Dr. Maddock scheduled for twice a week, and group therapy on Friday afternoons, occasional seminars, and something called Focus that I have tomorrow, I can’t deny that I’m, well, bored.
I’m in literal paradise, but here I am, once again sitting in my room, playing a word game on my phone until my eyes cross, while music plays from the speakers. I don’t even have my headphones—something my parents conveniently forgot to pack in my bags.
