Chapter 299
“But I’m hurt.”
Sarah’s expression had hardened. Her jaw was set, and her eyes were shiny with unshed tears.
“I’m really, really hurt that you didn’t tell me sooner,” she said.
I opened my mouth, but she kept going.
“I thought I was a better friend to you than that,” she said. Her voice cracked a little on the last word. “I’ve been there for you this entire time, Ellie. I helped you when you needed it. I tested that knife for you even though you wouldn’t tell me why, even when I suspected that it could implicate me in some kind of crime or something. I stood by you through all of your fights with Dominic, through the wedding, through everything. And I never asked for anything in return because I care about you,”
“Sarah…”
“I told you my secrets,” she went on. “I opened myself up to you in a way I never did with anyone before. And all this time, you were keeping this from me. This huge, massive thing that’s been eating you alive, and you didn’t trust me enough to tell me. But you told Lucas first? And left me in the dark?”
“I wanted to tell you,” I whispered. “I just couldn’t seem to find the right moment.”
She shook her head. “You weren’t waiting for the right moment. I practically had to pry it out of you just now. You would have made another excuse if it wasn’t for your guilt surrounding the fucking perfume.”
With that, she stood, grabbing her bag.
I stood up too, reaching for her. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Sarah. I was scared.”
“Of what?” she snapped. “That I’d think you were crazy? That I wouldn’t believe you? I just told you I believe you, Ellie. I would have believed you months ago if you’d just told me.” She exhaled. “I need to think about this for a while. I’ll see you later, Ellie.”
She turned and walked away before I could say anything else.
“I’ll wait right here,” I called after her. “In case you come back.”
She didn’t answer. Just kept walking until she disappeared around the corner, and then I heard the library door open and close.
I stood there for a long moment, staring at the empty space where she’d been.
Then I sank back into the chair and buried my face in my hands.
The tears came again, but this time I didn’t bother trying to stop them. I just sat there and cried until my chest ached and my head throbbed and I didn’t have any tears left to shed.
At some point, I must have fallen asleep. I didn’t mean to, but the exhaustion of the past few days caught up with me, and the chair was surprisingly comfortable, and the next thing I knew, I was opening my eyes to sunlight streaming through the
windows.
I blinked and sat up, my neck stiff and my back aching. Judging from the sunlight, I assumed that I had slept all night, which meant that Sarah hadn’t come back.
“Good morning.”
I jumped and looked up.
Dominic was standing nearby with his arms folded, leaning against a table. Two cardboard coffee cups from the campus cate were sitting next to him, still steaming through the little holes. A pastry bag that smelled like sugar even from here sat beside them.
+30 Bonus
“What are you doing here?” I croaked, glancing warily at the cups.
“I could ask you the same thing,” he said. “You never came home last night.”
“I was waiting for someone,” I replied. This time, it wasn’t a lie.
Dominic didn’t seem convinced, but didn’t seem to care enough at this point to press the matter. Instead, he picked up the coffee cups, held one out to me, and nodded toward the exit.
“Walk with me,” he said. “We need to talk.”
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