Shattered Glass Unbroken Soul Chapter 06
I finished listening. My heart was incredibly quiet.
As quiet as snow falling in a deserted wasteland.
I typed with my left hand and sent a message to the group chat.
*Not dead.*
Drew replied in a microsecond.
*Avery, which hospital are you at? I’m coming right now.*
I kept typing.
*Piper stayed by my side during my lowest point. Drew saved me once. Everything I owed you both was paid in full the second that deadbolt locked.*
Piper sent a string of crying emojis.
Drew typed something, deleted it, and typed again. Only a single sentence remained.
*I didn’t do it on purpose.*
I stared at that sentence. It felt horribly familiar.
When Piper ruined my competition eligibility, she said she didn’t do it on purpose.
When she smashed my laptop, she said she didn’t do it on purpose.
When Drew locked me inside and took away my pills, he used the exact same excuse.
I typed my final message.
*From now on, stay the hell out of my life.*
Once it was sent, I blocked Drew. I blocked Piper. I blocked every single mutual friend who told me I was being too harsh. Deleted them all.
The nurse walked in and saw me sitting up. She rushed over to hold my shoulders down.
“You can’t move around right now.”
“I have a flight tomorrow morning.”
She frowned.
“You really need to stay for twenty-four hours to monitor that wound.”
I shoved my medical records and billing receipts into my bag.
“I’ll keep an eye on it on the plane.”
A few hours later, I dragged my suitcase to the boarding gate.
My wound was still seeping. The edge of the bandage was stained a faint pink.
When the boarding announcement echoed through the terminal, I looked back at the city one last time.
No one chased after me.
And no one could ever lock me in a cage again.
***Â
