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"I know she's your friend too, Seri," I say softly. "I don't want you to stop speaking to her because of me."
She looks at me with wide eyes and parted lips. "You're serious, aren't you?"
I nod. "I don't want you to lose your friend because of me."
"That bitch isn't a friend, Es. If she was, she would have never slept with your fiancé. Fuck, she no longer exists for us. If she calls, she's in for a rude awakening. I'll make sure she knows exactly what I think of the fucking whore."
I press my lips together, trying not to let the laughter spill out. Serenity never fails to make me smile. She's always here to cheer me up when I'm at my lowest.
"Seri," I say, but there's no admonishment in my voice, and I can't hold back the laughter any longer.
"What?" she asks, feigning innocence. "Look, Esme, what those fuckers put you through was awful. I watched my best friend become a shell of the girl that I knew. There was nothing I could do but be here for you, but no matter what I said or did, it was never enough. That asshole mentally and emotionally abused you. You think I didn't notice how much weight you've lost? How unhappy you became while you were with him? I saw it all. You were never fat. You were sexy, beautiful, confident, and vibrant. But with that penciled-dick fucker, you became withdrawn, you hid your curves, and you hated everything about yourself."
Tears stream down my face. I had no idea that she'd noticed all of that. I thought I hid it well. I thought I was able to hide everything I was feeling.
"He beat you down and made you lose love for yourself. He made you think you were crazy, and I'll never forgive him for that. As for that goddamn bitch, she listened to you vent about the doubt and fears you had. She must have seen the same as I did. She was supposed to be your friend. Anyone who loved you saw that you were hurting, and she did nothing except betray you. That's something I'll never forgive her for. I couldn't give a fuck if she was fucking him, something I'm sure you'd agree to, but it’s the fact that she knew what that bastard was doing, how he was twisting everything and making you feel as though you were losing your mind. That's not something a friend would ever do to you. So fuck her and fuck him."
I press my lips together, hiding my smile as my tears continue to flow. This is why I love Serenity. She's always so fiercely protective of me. She's got my back just as I have hers. Nothing and no one could ever break the bond we have.
"Now, back to Reaper," she says with a gleeful smile. "Please tell me you're going to see him again?"
I roll my eyes. She’s so damn nosey. “Yes, I’ll be seeing him again,” I tell her. “In fact, I need to go to the store. I’m cooking him dinner tonight.”
The smile she has is huge, and it lights up her entire face. She releases a squeal, clapping her hands together as she bounces on her seat. "Oh, Es, that's amazing."
I hold up my hand. "It's just dinner, Seri. I'm not jumping into anything. I can't."
The thought of being in a relationship has my stomach sinking and my heart racing. I can't do it again. I don't think I'll ever be ready for it. Harry broke me in so many ways, I'm not sure if there's any coming back for me. Having sex and fun with Reaper may be all that I can ever offer him.
Her smile dies as she watches me carefully. "No matter what," she whispers, her eyes filling with tears. "You're going to be okay. I don't care how long it takes; we're going to get you back to where you're happy again. Where you love yourself again."
I nod. That's all I want. I wish it was easy, but there's so much hatred and self-loathing inside of me that I'm not sure it's doable. But I know that if I can, I will. Having Seri by my side means the world. I'm not alone, and I never was. I forgot that for a while. I let Harry pollute my mind with his words, and I forgot that I had people who truly loved me for who I am, not who they wanted me to be.
"I love you, Seri."
She moves over to me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and pulling me close to her. "I love you too, Es. Always. Never ever doubt that. You're my sister, and I'm always going to be here."
"You're the best," I whisper to her. "What would I do without you?"
She grins. "You'll never have to find out. But I'm telling you that if I see that bitch, I'm not biting my tongue."
I laugh. I can't expect her to do so. "That's fine. Just try not to get arrested. Orange is not your color."
She pushes my shoulder, chuckling as she does. "You're so right. It is, however, your color."
She's not wrong. I look good in orange, but a jumpsuit is an entirely different situation. "They're not worth it. In her eyes, she was with the man she loved, and she never meant to hurt me."
"She's delusional. Fuck, Harry must be hung like a fucking stallion."
I shake my head. "Nope. Nowhere even close."
Her lip curls in disgust. "Please tell me he's at least somewhat good in bed?"
Once again, I shake my head. "Nope. Not even close."
"I have nothing," she tells me. "I'm just glad you're no longer with him. I swear, I was close to killing him to get you freed from his toxicity. I couldn't bear to see you that way."
"I finally saw the light. It took me way too long, but I'm free of him and I'm never going back."
