Are you kidding? He’s arrogant, sarcastic, likes to intimidate people, and – oh.” Okay. Maybe she had a point.
I left the clinic in a daze that had nothing to do with my head injury. Clear up in a week or so? How could Dr. Olendzki speak so lightly about this? I was going to look like a mutant for Christmas and most of the ski trip. I had a black eye. A freaking black eye. And my mother had given it to me.
I’d never expected my first time to be in a cabin in the woods, but I realized the place didn’t matter. The person did. With someone you loved, you could be anywhere, and it would be incredible. Being in the most luxurious bed in the world wouldn’t matter if you were with someone you didn’t love.
And sometimes, if I was really, really lucky, he’d smile at me. A real smile, too – not the dry one that accompanied the sarcasm we tossed around so often. I didn’t want to admit it to anyone – not to Lissa, not even to myself – but some days, I lived for those smiles.
The guy that’s going to kick your ass for hurting her.
You can think whatever you want, do whatever you want. I’m going to just go on loving you, even if it’s hopeless.
They come first.
Dimka, not you too.
Cheaters, I thought.
I know what love is, Mom. I’ve had love that burns in every fiber of my being, that drives me to be a better person and empowers me through each moment of the day. If you’d ever had something like that, you’d hold on to it with every bit of strength you had.
You’re better than this, Adrian. Whatever the reason, you’re better than it. Don’t trick yourself into thinking you’re weaker than you are.
But why would Victor and Robert take her? And how the hell did two old men subdue a teenage girl anyway?
My mom beat me up,” I informed my reflection. It looked back sympathetically.
Lissa knelt down, compassion on her face. I wasn’t surprised, since she’d always had a thing for animals. She’d lectured me for days after I’d instigated the infamous hamster-and-hermit-crab fight. I’d viewed the fight as a testing of worthy opponents. She’d seen it as animal cruelty.
Dierdre the counselor must not have had much of a life, because she scheduled our next appointment on a Sunday. I wasn’t so thrilled about it, seeing as it wasn’t just my day off-it was also the day my friends had off. Orders were orders, however, so I grudgingly showed up.
Sanity’s overated, my darling.
I followed along because really, it was hard to say no to Dimitri Belikov about anything.
I was drunk.
It made you happy...
None of you appreciate me. Why is it so hard to believe that I could make a real contribution in these dark times? My cigarettes and I are going outside. At least they show me respect.