As the primary election day draws nearer, Miles and I return to DC to help prepare for the big day. At the office, the vibe in the office is tense. Even I feel filled with uneasy nerves. This is the first real hurdle in Miles’s campaign. We have a lot of support but there’s no guarantee. If Miles
“Right. Of course.” As I hurry back down the hall, humiliated, I try to convince myself that I won’t be cringing about this encounter for the rest of my life. Somehow, I don’t quite convince myself. I drive to my parents’ house. Before I even finish parking in their wraparound driveway, I see th
I’m worried about Thea, but knowing our parents are unlikely to mistreat her, I pull myself back into my car and force myself to drive away. There’s nothing I can do if Mom won’t let me see her. I hope she at least knows that I tried to come and visit. Maybe it wouldn’t make a difference. Maybe ou
I’d voted before coming here, and it’s late enough now that the voting stations are closing, at least for the eastern half of the country. Everyone seems to be in good spirits. There are televisions around the room showing the 24-hour news stations, including Harbinger’s. All of the sources say th
Together, Miles and I stand and start to head toward the television in the room. We let our hands drift apart as some of the other campaign staff enter the room to watch with us, but I stay close to his side, silently offering whatever comfort and support I can, just from my nearness. One of the v
I feel special, having seen the truth. Like I’ve been let in on a secret. One that I plan to keep with me, selfishly, until the day that I die. Eventually, I go out into the banquet hall, but not until after Miles has given his speech. By now, he’s mingling with the crowd, and the entire event has
I’m entirely frozen as fear floods my body. Despite everything I’ve accomplished since, every therapy session, every positive moment in my life that occurred after the moment of knowing this man, I’m still transported once again transported to being a young woman, not even yet a teenager, to the tim
Edward is too close, too much, too overwhelming. When I hear Edward, I’m that little girl again, trapped, frightened, alone, and in pain. “Yes,” I say. “I’ve never met him,” Miles says. “He’s a newcomer to the political world.” He pauses a moment, licks his lips as if he’s preparing himself.