| 76 | True Love Hurts

[ S E R A P H I N E ]

The sun is still high overhead. We're ticking off the miles toward home. I don't know what he meant by "something". I just hope it's not a life-threatening emergency.

My breathing turns shallow once his words sink in. So he's been spying on me all this time? Since when? Do I really look like someone who can't be trusted?

Part of my gut curls at the thought. I rest my head against the window, trying to figure out what to say. What to share. What to do next.

Since agreeing to be his pretend girlfriend, I often feel like I surrendered more than just my independence. But leaving this place isn’t an option. Not yet.

I've promised myself that I'll get my degree before I do anything else. And I already owe Dominico a lot of money. I'm not gonna let it all go to waste just because I feel like giving up. Again.

“You're not a quitter. Suck it up. You got this. You can't give up,” I keep telling myself lately. The back of my eyes turn hot.

Darn. I'm trapped