Read Online Her Destiny by Monica Murphy - Free Book Online

feel?” I ask, my voice so low I almost don’t hear my own damn self.
    She nods jerkily, her lips pressed together so tight they nearly disappear. “Yes,” she whispers. “I’m a mess. You don’t want to be with me. Not really.”
    The chill in my veins warms the slightest bit. “You’re not a mess, baby. I’m the one who’s a mess because I don’t have you in my life.”
    Her expression wavers, her gaze softening, but otherwise she remains stoic. “You don’t mean that. I’ve changed. I’m not the same person I was before when you first met me.”
    How could she have changed that much when it’s only been a few months since we met? Though I feel like a different person since the beginning of the summer so I guess it’s possible.
    “I don’t care. I know things have changed in your life but it doesn’t matter. Things have changed for me too.” I mean every word I say. I know life hasn’t been fair to her lately and I want to help her. Take care of her. Make her life easier. It’s hard without her, but together?
    Together I think the two of us could conquer our demons and rule the world.
    “Oh, Nick.” She shakes her head, her eyes closing for the briefest moment as she glances up at the sky, as if she’s searching for the right words to say. Searching for strength. “Too much has happened. You’ve hurt me. I’ve hurt you. I’m not the same person anymore. Not at all.”
    She sounds so grown up, so sure of everything, and I’m more confused than ever. How did I hurt her? All I ever wanted was to protect her. “So you don’t want to give us another chance.” My voice is flat, my emotions the same. I feel defeated. A feeling I’m used to. One I wanted to fight against only moments ago.
    But why fight against someone who’s not willing to try?
    “It wouldn’t be the same and you know it. I’m a different girl. One you probably wouldn’t like.”
    I stare at her, drinking in her familiar features, her familiar smell. She doesn’t look different though she’s acting different, more sure of herself yet also so weary with the world. The innocent sheen is gone. Destroyed completely.
    “Think about it,” I say, refusing to give up. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Reverie.”
    Before she can say a word I turn on my heel and walk away from her, not once looking back. I head straight to my truck, my footsteps determined, my mind churning with the possibilities. She may think it’s over but it’s not.
    Not by a long shot.

 
    November 13th
     
    “D o you work tonight?”
    Nodding, I take a drink of my soda, glancing around the quad as Vanessa, Valerie and I stand outside. School let out almost an hour ago but we remained behind, working on an English project together in the library. We hit up the soda machine outside of the cafeteria and I grabbed a Coke, needing the caffeine rush before I go on to Seville’s. I’m exhausted and tonight is guaranteed to be a busy one. “My shift starts at five-thirty.”
    “You’re tied up there every Friday night. Don’t you hate it?” Vanessa asks.
    I snort laugh, an attractive sound I’m sure but I don’t really care. I’m among friends. They won’t judge. “It doesn’t really matter since I have no social life beyond you two.”
    “You used to have one,” Valerie points out, her tone the faintest shade of snide. Her smile is smug too. She still likes to poke at me for what I did to them, not that I can blame her. “For a brief, shining moment.”
    “A moment I’d rather forget,” I say wryly, hating yet again that she brings up my minor foray into the party scene. I can’t seem to escape it either. Tally approached me just the other day, asking if I wanted to hit up a new club with her on Saturday. She said she knew the bouncer and he could get us in for free, no worries on the lack of ID/underage thing.
    I turned her down as nice as I could, not wanting any trouble, and Tally was cool with it. But Valerie watched the conversation go down