Page 192 - My FlipBook

L IS A J. L A W R E N C E

“This is my side,” Greta said, sitting up straight. “I was too
drunk to walk or talk that night at the cabin, and then Dylan
told me the next morning that we’d had sex. For a while I just
thought I’d made a mistake—used bad judgment—but then I
realized I hadn’t had the chance to say yes or no. I finally told
Ash, and you saw what happened next.”
A flicker of something in Priya’s eyes, and her face tight-
ened. Greta wanted to snatch back her words, regretting her

trust. She folded her arms to protect her center, the smashed
pieces of her insides waking to pinch her again.
“I felt a little worried leaving you there,” Priya said,
looking down. “I should have stayed or brought you with me.”
Guilt. The goddess Priya felt guilty. “I don’t blame you,
Priya. You tried.” She left out the part about not wanting to
leave with Priya, that stupid jealousy that seemed now like a ADVANCE READING COPY

spat over a Ken doll. “That’s the last thing I remember, actually.”
Priya’s face twitched. She pulled her body up to match
Greta’s, somehow seeming taller than her. “I believe you, Greta.”
The words reached Greta, stilling her insides. Blood,
bones, flesh grew and bloomed. The Greta who stood alone
against the whole school threw back her shoulders and drew
her first real breath. Of course Ash believed her too. But he
would stand by her side and fight like a badger no matter
what she told him, take on anyone he felt had wronged her.

Greta cleared her throat, fighting the urge to leap from
her seat and bear-hug Priya. “Thank you.” Not enough.
Not nearly enough. She exhaled a slow breath to steady
herself. “That means a lot to me.”

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