Chapter 3

“If you don’t want to talk, you don’t have to. I just hate seeing you this way.” Georgina sits next to me, handing me the cup with tea in it. I begin sipping it slowly.

“Did he hit you too hard this time?” Her voice sounds hurt. I try to think of a way to explain it, a way she can understand, but she is already so against this that I don’t want to scare her away from it more.

“It is my fault.” I finally admit it out loud, and when I do, there is a flood of emotions, mainly the fact that I am putting Jackson through more pain because I was reckless and stupid.

“How is this your fault, Alena? What did you do?” I shake my head, getting up and putting clothes on. I need to talk to Jackson. I can’t talk to her and not him. How would that be right?

“I need to talk to Jackson.” I don’t wait. I walk out of the room and down the stairs. The office door is open, so I walk in. I feel like I need to leave it open to be safe, but to talk without anyone listening, I n