Page 120 of Fly's Path

The earnest words gut me. Lying would be so much easier. “I’m not an addict, Lola. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like that.”

“Then why did you lie to me about a party? And why were you dancing with those girls?”

“Whatever happens and whatever I did, we belong together. We always will.”

“Tell me why? Answer that one simple question, and we can move forward.”

All hope inside me collapses. She’s trying. She’s giving me the benefit of the doubt, just like I hoped she would. “I’m falling in love with you, Lola.”

“Then why would you hurt me like that?”

“No excuse will ever make up for—”

“I don’t want an excuse. I want an answer. One simple answer. Just tell me why.”

There is no answer to that question, not without me lying, so I stay quiet.

Lola stands there waiting, like somehow her patience will elicit a response from me.

Instead of words, I stare deep into her eyes, willing her to make the stupidest decision of her life.

How long we stand there, I don’t know, but suddenly she drops her gaze and tears fall to the ground. Lola takes the gifts from me and turns back to her room.

She probably would have slammed the door, but her friends are there standing guard.

“You can leave now. She doesn’t want to see you anymore,” LynnLeigh snaps as Kerri studies me like a lab rat.

A rat that should have been put down before being born, like his father wanted.

What Did She Say?

Fly

“What did you just say?” My body starts to shake at the pent-up rage building at the possibility of what I just heard.

“I said you can’t promise that it will never be violent. Sometimes people who love you hurt you. It just kind of happens.”

Rage takes over my system, filling me with the desire to hurt those who hurt Sheri. To destroy those who caused her one iota of pain.

Rein it in. You’re going to scare her. “Who hurt you?”

“It doesn’t matter,” the calm innocence she says that with drives me out of my mind.

“Who hurt you?”

“It was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter.”

“Sheri, who hurt you?” My voice sounds way too quiet even to my own ears.

“No. You need to hear me when I say it doesn’t matter. Most of them won’t hurt me anymore.”

Them…more than one person hurt her…My hands tremble. “Let’s start with the one who might hurt you again.”

“I can’t. I can’t go there with you today. It’s too much.” She starts to climb out of the lounge chair.

“Then we won’t.” I reach out and touch her arm. “We’ll leave it alone. As long as you promise me you’re safe. They won’t hurt you.”

“I’m safe. Here in Urbium, I’m always safe.”