#‹ ✦ ˚ ofelia: answered. with her you will have answers but no satisfaction. ›

[foggedgrief]

𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐞  :  𝐅𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒 ! 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬  :  accepting. 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠  :  @ofshampain​  𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧  :   which  of  the  four  seasons  suits  my  muse  best,  and  why  ?  

nicky  looks  like  a  boy  made  of  sunshine  with  a  summer  kind  of  soul  but  he  is  all  whipping  winds  and  internalized  cold.  winter  lingers  in  his  bones  and  nothing  has  quite  learned  to  cut  through  it  (  maybe  there’s  something  who  will,  maybe  someone  ).  he  has  spent  so  much  of  his  life  masquerading  a  kind  of  warmth  that  he  has  not  felt  since  his  parents  walked  into  the  fog  and  left  him  with  their  little  girl  to  raise  as  his  own.  she  is  his  world,  he  will  never  deny  or  begrudge  her  that.  in  raising  her,  though,  he  has  lost  pieces  of  himself,  a  chance  to  be  young,  to  experience  life  with  a  safety  net.  all  that  bitterness  has  had  nowhere  to  go.  it  rots  inside.  

perhaps  the  most  straightforward,  she’s  spent  her  life  trying  to  help  people,  to  make  them  healthy,  to  keep  them  safe,  to  allow  them  to  be  better  versions  of  themselves.  there  is  sunlight  in  her  smile  and  while  there  are  cloudy  days,  she  is  a  summer  filled  woman.  she  exudes  warmth  and  brightness,  all  kinds  of  radiating  love.  five  minutes  with  her  and  your  day  will  turn  around.  the  clouds  have  built,  though,  and  they  linger.  forgive  her.  she  is  trying.  

others  have  emotional  reasons  why  they  are  best  suited  to  a  season,  a  desire  to  hide  or  express  themselves  as  applicable,  but  ofelia  claims  to  like  autumn  for  the  simple  reasons.  the  clothes,  the  holidays,  the  treats  —  everything  that  comprises  the  aesthetics  for  that  perfect  shot  on  instagram.  certainly  her  favoritism  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  fact  that  her  mother  despised  the  season  on  principal  because  everything  dies  in  autumn.  there  is  a  subtlety  to  the  art  of  rebellion  that  ofelia  has  mastered  and  it’s  summed  up  in  this:  sometimes  you  pretend  to  enjoy  something  just  to  make  your  mother  mad.  eventually  that  lie  becomes  true  once  you’ve  told  it  enough.  

put  anyone  in  a  flower  crown  long  enough  and  they’ll  look  like  spring  —  the  start  of  a  new  cycle  and  a  beauty  to  be  admired.  poppy  teeters  on  the  precipice  here,  she  is  all  strawberry  smiles  and  defrosting  days  but  her  heart  flourishes  well  into  summer  and  she  does  not  know  where  to  put  herself.  warmth  consumes  her  and  she  radiates  it  year  round.  she  is  sundresses  and  big  hats  as  easily  as  she  is  bikini  tops  and  denim  shorts,  swan  dives  into  swimming  pools  and  bike  rides  with  the  family.  maybe  one  soul  can’t  be  two  seasons  but  in  those  weeks  that  meld  two  seasons,  interspersed  days  that  lean  more  one  way  than  the  other,  that  is  when  she  thrives.  

melancholy  man  who  sits  at  his  desk  and  keeps  his  head  down  year  round  does  not  call  out  to  one  particular  season.  he  ignores  them  all,  even  if  he  does  not  mean  to.  one  could  draw  a  comparison  to  hades,  a  man  who  does  his  work  as  needed,  who  slinks  home  and  back  to  his  bed  for  a  few  short  hours  every  night  and  begins  his  day  again  to  work  ungodly  hours.  one  might  say  that  winter  is  his  season,  if  you  make  this  comparison,  but  in  his  heart  lurks  this  desperate  desire  to  be  free  of  the  routine  he  has  confined  himself  to.  he  may  seem  like  he  is  winter  but  inside  summer  sits  heavy  in  his  chest  waiting  to  be  unleashed. 

[gamcrra]

“it’s time to realize that you’re here with us.” vivian & montserrat & rebekah. // “you dreamt you were an inanimate object?” nadia & venus. // {text}: i miss you, grace. please come visit, ok?” madison & autumn & grace. // “why can’t you drink? if that’s not a rude question.” isla & ofelia. // “WHY CAN’T YOU JUST SAY FUDGE?!” aurora & nova. // “i’m glad you’re fine because i’m not!” hayley & emma. // “you thought i was jealous of you? no, i pity you!” karina & sage.

these were so fucking happy, i’m surprising myself !!

“it’s time to realize that you’re here with us.”

The words surprised Montserrat, particularly since they were coming from Vivian. She was used to Rebekah’s changing moods and contradicting declarations, but never had she expected Vivian to utter those words. She stared at her, speechless. She opened her mouth a few times to defend herself, but no words would come out. She couldn’t make up an excuse when she knew Vivian was speaking the truth. In the end, she shook her head. She raised her head after she realized avoiding the question wasn’t an option. “I’m trying,” she revealed. “And I understand you have already been patient with me, but I’m asking you for more time.” Walking towards her, she connected one hand with hers and the other with Rebekah’s. “I trust you more than anyone on this world. If you’re worried because you think you’re just another relationship, I can assure you you’re wrong.” She paused, a smile appearing on her lips. “When the right time comes, when I’ll be ready to talk about what’s bothering me, you’ll know I wasn’t lying. Trust me.“

Rebekah hadn’t expected the words to come from Vivian. The majority of the time, she was the one to point out issues within the relationship. She was the one who insisted on fixing what everyone seemed to avoid. She had already fought with Montserrat before concerning her lack of communication, but once she realized her girlfriend wasn’t keeping secrets from them on purpose, she stopped trying to convince her to talk to them. Now that Vivian brought the subject up, she couldn’t bring herself to comment. Instead, she just put a hand on Vivian’s arm. “V,” she whispered, warning her she shouldn’t go there, but Montserrat had already started speaking. She was surprised to see she was addressing the issue, when normally she would have avoided the subject. Rebekah was certain that was convinced her to be silent. Although she was interested, the conversation wasn’t hers. She smiled as Montserrat came towards them, connecting their hands. Rebekah hugged both of them. “We understand.”

“you dreamt you were an inanimate object?” 

Venus laughed, her hands wrapped around her cup of coffee. “I was sure you’d interrupt me,” she said. Living with her girlfriend for as long as she did, she was aware of every little detail about her. “Not exactly. I told you I dreamed that I was watching us through like a camera. Didn’t feel like I was the camera, though,” she corrected. Her eyes focused on her coffee, not ready to meet her girlfriend’s gaze. She hadn’t yet told her the reason the dream remained with her even after she woke up, when most of the time she forgot everything her mind created during her sleep. “We weren’t living in this apartment anymore. We had this house on the beach, and I could see the sunrise behind the sea waves.” She paused, preparing herself to speaking her next words. She didn’t know if she should speak them in the first place, but she promised herself she wouldn’t lie. “We were wearing wedding dresses, and were kissing.” She made eye contact, tears in her eyes. “We were married.” After her parents divorced, Venus had promised she wouldn’t get married. She didn’t need a piece of paper to attach her to someone she wasn’t even sure she would spend her future with. Except that now she was sure. She was certain she loved Nadia, and that her love for her didn’t have an expiration date. 

{text}: i miss you, grace. please come visit, ok?

Reading the message she received made a smile appear on Grace’s lips, though her eyes were telling a different story. The past week had been difficult. Ever since she left the girls, she experienced the need to be close to them. She was glad she got to see them in person, but her heart didn’t feel like the short visit was enough. They were her best friends, and she hated being away from them when she had seen how happy they made her. “I miss you too Madison,” she typed. “Both of you.” Memories of her time spent with them overwhelmed her thoughts, nostalgia taking over her mind. She was used to missing people close to her, but nothing like that. She wanted to know when she was going to see them again, otherwise she couldn’t move on with her life. Checking her calendar, she remembered Autumn’s birthday was soon, and Madison’s was three weeks afterwards. Grace smiled to herself as a plan appeared in her mind. What if she surprised them both? “I will visit soon,” she wrote. “I promise you.” 

“why can’t you drink? if that’s not a rude question.”

Ofelia’s cheeks turned red. She avoided eye contact, nervous to see her girlfriend’s reaction. “Because I’m an embarrassing drunk,” she said, her words barely audible through the music. She was glad everyone was minding their business, instead of focusing on them. The whole night they had been together, pretending they were the happiest couple there was. The current moment was one of the rare moments they had alone. “I’m spilling secrets everywhere, and making stupid decisions that end up on every social media platform,” she explained. Moving closer to her, Ofelia put her arm around Isla’s shoulder, closing the distance between them. She wanted to make sure no one heard what she was saying. “There was this one time, I thought it was a good idea to go around the party and ask everyone if they wanted to kiss me because I was lonely. And I won’t tell you about that time I called my lying, cheating ex boyfriend and revealed all of his secrets in front of our common friends.” A chuckle escaped her lips as she remembered that night. “Don’t know if I regret that last one, though.“ The proximity was perfect for a kiss, but Ofelia didn’t want to ruin the moment. She didn’t want Isla to think she was just kissing her for press.

“WHY CAN’T YOU JUST SAY FUDGE?!”

Nova hadn’t expected the outburst. She didn’t think her swearing bothered Aurora. However, like all the questions she was asked, she provided an answer. “Because it doesn’t have the same emotional satisfaction as a swear word does,” she declared. “That word doesn’t have the same purpose as swear words do. I’m sure there’s an explanation in a book that shows the evidence of what I’m saying.” She knew if she brought books into the discussion her words would have more meaning to her classmate. Part of the reasons she loved spending time with Aurora was how much they learned from each other. There was no doubt Aurora was smart, and along with Nova’s knowledge and experience, they made the perfect team. “Besides, it’s therapeutic,” she explained. “You can try saying ‘fuck’ when you’re in an upsetting situation, you won’t feel as upset as before. Or maybe you will, but at least you’ll know.” Nova smiled to her. “Not the end of the world, okay?” she said. 

“i’m glad you’re fine because i’m not!”

“You’re so dramatic,” Emma laughed. They were walking around the beach, and had just stopped to get ice cream—except that they didn’t have Hayley’s favorite flavor. “Come on, chocolate isn’t that bad.” Emma had gotten vanilla and strawberry— a particular combination, but she had an emotional attachment to the preference. “I remember walking with my parents on the beach when I was about seven, when I had just finished first grade. We had gone for ice cream too, but I didn’t know what to get. So I got a combination of what my parents got, and it’s been my favorite ever since.” The memory brought a smile upon her lips. Moments similar to the memory hadn’t occurred in years. Looking towards Hayley, she erased the nostalgia from her thoughts. The wind blowing her hair and the way the sun made her brown eyes look made Emma realize how lucky she was. She didn’t care about how difficult being together was, because she loved her. They were soulmates. They were made for each other. She turned towards her and took her hand in hers. “Promise me our children will have just as a beautiful life as I did,” Emma said. “I want us to have a family. I want our children to be happy.” She paused. “I want them too know how much we love each other.”

“you thought i was jealous of you? no, i pity you!”

Sage knew she wasn’t supposed to laugh— that was not what her character’s supposed reaction — yet she couldn’t prevent the sound from escaping her lips. The line Karina was reciting was too similar to what she would tell her in real lifemonths ago. Sage had trouble wrapping her mind around that ever since they spent most of their time together, she didn’t hate her as much. Instead, she grew used to her company. She never would have imagined being on the same project was what was necessary for them to tolerate each other. “Sorry,” she said towards the director. She then looked towards Karina, raising her eyebrows. She had to notice how much the words applied to them too. The rest of the scene, she kept her facial expressions under control, though her mind kept going back to the phrase. Once the scene was done, she approached her as she smiled. “Pity me, don’t you?” she teased her. She would never admit, but she liked how they didn’t hate each other anymore.

[foggedgrief]

𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐞  :  𝐅𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒 ! 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬  :  not accepting. 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠  :  @shatteredhope​, @pinehavenpeaches​ 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧  :   how  meticulously  does  my  muse  look  after  their  physical  appearance  ?  do  they  spend  a  lot  of  time  on  their  hair,  makeup,  grooming,  and  clothing  ?  is  there  a  particular  reason  why  they  do  or  don’t  ?  

though  nicky  is  well  groomed,  he  does  not  currently  have  the  time  or  resources  to  overanalyze  the  way  he  looks.  as  long  as  it’s  clean  and  doesn’t  have  a  stain,  he’s  probably  going  to  wear  it.  he  tries  to  keep  his  hair  at  a  manageable  length  and  he  pretends  to  frequent  the  gym  but  he’s  more  likely  to  do  yoga  at  home.  he’s  conscious  about  washing  his  face  with  a  reliable  skin  care  routine  and  not  buying  three  —  in  —  one  soaps  for  his  hair  and  body.  if  that  means  he’s  going  to  smell  like  warm  vanilla  sugar  then  he’s  willing  to  do  it. 

noemi  showers  every  day  but  washes  her  hair  about  twice  a  week  or  three  times  if  she’s  feeling  like  she  needs  it.  her  hair  is  prone  to  breaking  due  to  how  frequently  it’s  up  in  a  bun  or  a  ponytail  which  continues  the  cycle  of  wearing  it  up  more  but  she  tries  her  best  to  keep  it  down  when  she  can  and  she  is  not  particularly  concerned  about  her  make  up.  as  a  mother  of  d  one,  it’s  hard  to  focus  on  yourself  when  you’ve  got  your  kids  and  that’s  especially  true  when  you’re  also  a  doctor.  make  up  is  light  and  her  clothes  are  more  comfy  and  casual  than  designer  and  chic.  it  works  for  her,  though,  and  she’s  happy  with  it  !  

incredibly  is  the  most  fair  word  to  describe  how  meticulously  ofelia  looks  after  herself  and  more  so  —  both  broadly  and  specifically  —  her  image.  her  cost  of  upkeep  is  not  incredibly  expensive  in  pine  haven  but  she  still  displays  a  certain  kind  of  care  that  comes  from  being  worth  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars  and  constantly  being  photographed.  though  she  is  much  more  relaxed  now,  she  is  always  impeccably  well  put  together  even  if  she’s  wearing  yoga  pants  that  cost  more  than  your  car  payment  and  a  cropped  sweatshirt.

it  was  around  her  freshman  year  of  high  school  that  poppy  took  to  designing  clothes  with  a  passion  and  by  sophomore  year  she  had  her  own  sewing  machine  and  bolts  of  fabric  leaning  against  a  wall  in  her  bedroom.  growing  up  in  an  age  of  social  media  and  having  an  online  presence,  poppy  has  always  been  conscious  of  the  way  that  she’s  perceived  but  this  mostly  started  after  she  left  home  and  went  to  college.  

laz  has  an  eleven  and  a  half  month  old  depression  beard  on  his  face  and  while  it’s  kept  up  it’s  definitely  a  warning  flag  to  a  larger  issue  at  hand  there.  he  keeps  himself  in  shape  and  for  a  man  in  his  forties,  he  certainly  looks  great  when  he  keeps  his  beard  maintained.  he  wears  well  pressed  suits  and  starched  shirts,  and  though  he  does  have  a  more  casual  aspect  to  him,  it  doesn’t  come  out  quite  often.  some  days  it’s  hard  to  reconcile  the  teenager  who  would  have  rather  died  than  wear  a  suit  with  the  man  who  acts  like  he  was  born  in  one.  maybe  he’s  too  serious  for  his  own  good  and  it’s  expressed  in  the  way  he  dresses  and  carries  himself. 

[foggedgrief]

soft  now  while  she  sits  in  the  sunshine  to  breathe  in  the  day  and  exhale  the  night,  this  is  a  woman  more  god  than  man  but  aren’t  all  women  this  way  ?,  crave  salvation  all  you  want  sweet  dove  but  someone  will  find  it  between  your  legs,  pour  out  the  blood  of  christ  for  he  is  not  worthy  of  your  lips,  and  sing  the  songs  that  call  to  your  heart  and  they  will  set  you  free. 

‹ ✦ ˚ ofelia: aesthetic. strip away the designer labels and there is still someone worth knowing. ›

‹ ✦ ˚ ofelia: answered. with her you will have answers but no satisfaction. ›

‹ ✦ ˚ ofelia: interactions. she opens her mouth and a thousand different voices come pouring out. ›

‹ ✦ ˚ ofelia: headcanon. she’s not the kind of girl who walks through the fires of hell，she set them. ›

‹ ✦ ˚ ofelia: mirror. swirling black fog at her feet serves as dark warnings. ›

‹ ✦ ˚ ofelia: musing. girls like you learn at a young age that white dresses mean more than innocence. ›

‹ ✦ ˚ ofelia: wanted. the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. ›

[gamcrra]

“please, you can’t die now.” isabelle & clary. // “did you think i forgot?” clarissa & victoria. // “bitch better have my money.” chloe & zoya. // “for once… i was wrong.” alexa & marissa. // “hello? it’s me. i was-” alyssa & damian. // “fuck’s sake, what’s your problem?” hayley & emma. // “just… come back alive, okay?” fallon & tamsin. // “so… when’s the next flight?” isla & ofelia. // “zero fucks given. next please.” libby & sydney. // “please don’t leave me alone.” dylan & marina.

all of these are so angsty… sorry not sorry.

“please, you can’t die now.”

Clary found the strength to smile, although the life seemed to leave her with fast movements. “Why? Afraid you won’t have anyone else to train with?” she joked. Although she was pretty scared of dying, she didn’t want to see Isabelle suffer. She couldn’t change someone’s emotions, but she hoped she could at least make the situation better. She had always been the one who was worried she would see her girlfriend die first, and she was somehow relieved she didn’t get the chance to witness that. But putting all the hurt on Isabelle didn’t make part of her plan either. “Listen, Iz. You have to promise me you’ll keep on fighting for what’s right. Promise me this won’t make you lose hope,” she spoke, tears rolling down her cheeks as she thought of her next words. “Promise me you’ll find someone who makes you happy. I want you to be happy.” She was hanging onto life as she waited for her girlfriend’s confirmation. “I want you to be happy. Because I love you. I’ll always do.”

“did you think i forgot?”

Victoria’s expression turned to disapproval. “Obviously not, since you still bring it up,” she replied, already tired of the conversation. “I thought you of all people understood that I’m trying to leave my past behind. I was stupid, yes, but you know I didn’t mean those words. I have always loved you.” Approaching her fiancee, she sat down next to her. “Do you want us to talk about that fight? Because we can. But after that, you have to promise me you will never bring it up again.” She put her hand overs hers, a sad smile on her face. “We’re living in the moment, remember? Putting behind the bad memories. You need to remember that I’m here, and you’re here, and we’re two completely different people from what we were,” Victoria reminded her, a kind expression on her features. If she could erase that night from her memories, she would. She didn’t want to hurt Clary.

“bitch better have my money.”

Zoya was about to walk away when she heard her ex best friend’s voice. Turning around, she stared at her, speechless. She took a deep breath, preparing herself to the fight. “Who the fuck do you think you are to call me a bitch? This bitch was your best friend before you went and fucked up everything. This bitch was there for you when you needed most. This bitch was the one you spent every day of your life since freshman years. But you obviously don’t care about that now, when you decide to degrade me to what everyone’s saying. Congratulations, Chloe Malone. You’re just like them.” She was about to turn around when she remembered the end of her sentence. Reaching into her pocket, she grabbed the fifty dollars she owed her. “Here’s your fucking money,” she said, throwing the bills on her. “Get the fuck out of my life now.”

“for once… i was wrong.”

“For once, I agree with you,” Marissa responded. She stared at Alexa, her eyes cold and her voice not letting anything appear. After all, she was good at pretending. She had shown who she truly was to her, and she got her heart broken. “You see, I thought you were a better person. I thought you were the one. Now I know that’s bullshit. You don’t care about me, you don’t care about anything. You just took advantage of me and then you tossed me aside.” She was hurt, but she never showed that with tears. Anger was her preferred emotion. She was going back to who she was before she met Alexa. Heartless. “Does that make you feel better, Alexa? Does that inflate your low self esteem? You’re just like my father. Selfish. Incapable of love.” She shook her head, unable to realize how she let herself fall for a Gryffindor. “I hope I never see you again.”

“hello, it’s me. i was –”

As soon as Damian heard her voice, he ended the call. If he would have known she was calling him, he wouldn’t have answered. He waited for the message announcing him he had a voicemail. He had several voicemails from her, but he never listened to them. He was afraid of what lies she would tell him again. He didn’t want to trust her and get his heart broken for the second time. He didn’t want to hear her excuses, he didn’t want to talk to her, he didn’t to want anything to do with her. He just wanted to forget she existed. Just wanted to forget they ever met. Damian often reflected on what his life would have been like without her. He was certain he wouldn’t have wasted as much time picking up the pieces of his broken heart. Yet she still wanted to come back. She always came back, and he was tired. He was done with trusting the one who kept breaking his heart.

“fuck’s sake, what’s your problem?”

Emma didn’t trust her ears. Turning back around, she air quoted her words. “What’s my problem?” She was yelling again. For someone who prized themselves for remaining calm in an argument, she was disappointed with herself for getting mad at the sentence. “My problem is that I don’t know why you’re my soulmate. Something must have went wrong for you to appear on both of my wrists, when I don’t know how to love you. I don’t love you, Hayley. And I have to figure out my life knowing the one who’s supposed to be my soulmate fucks me up, instead of bringing me happiness.” She knew the words were too harsh once she processed them, but she couldn’t take them back. She had told her the truth. “Are you happy? Have I answered your question?” Shutting the door behind her, she walked away without looking back.

“just… come back alive, okay?”

Tamsin chuckled. “Are you insinuating I can’t protect myself?” she responded, faking an offended tone followed by a close mouthed smile. “You know I’m just going on a mission with my brother, right? Nothing bad will happen to me. In case my powers aren’t enough to keep me safe, my brother will protect me. You don’t have to worry about me.” She was hiding her doubts behind her jokes, but she was worried. There was no guarantee her brother wouldn’t be occupied with something else, no guarantee that she wouldn’t have a severe allergic reaction, no guarantee she wouldn’t panic and ruin the whole mission. She was anxious, but she didn’t show that to her. The knowledge of the assurance she made to Fallon determined her to succeed. Tamsin promised herself she wouldn’t disappoint her friend. She would come back alive.

“so… when’s the next flight?”

Ofelia didn’t look in Isla’s direction, afraid she’d break out crying in front of her. She was too prideful to show her how affected she was. They had had a huge fight yesterday, in the middle of the night. A fight resulting in their break up. Both of their harsh words resonated through Ofelia’s mind, replaying them over and over. She didn’t have the chance to tell her she loved her. Somehow, she was relieved she didn’t give her the satisfaction– on the other side, Isla would never know she broke her heart. Just like everyone else Ofelia had been in love with. “Don’t know, don’t care,” Ofelia responded, her voice cold as she focused her eyes on the people passing in front of them. She was surprised with her own tone, opposite to her usual kind and welcoming one. There was nothing left. Isla had took her happiness away, leaving her broken.

“zero fucks given. next please.”

“Libby, fucking stop acting like that,” Sydney snapped, tired of all her efforts going to waste. “I’m sorry, okay? I’ve said it multiple times, but you obviously don’t care. Did it cross your mind that maybe I’m tired too? Did you think that maybe I’m hurt too? But since you think I’m the fucking worst, I bet you didn’t think I don’t want to lose you. All you care about is making me feel like shit, and you know what?” She stopped, giving her one last heartbroken look. “Mission accomplished.” She exited Libby’s room, descending the stairs as frustrated tears started appearing in her eyes. She didn’t stop to say goodbye to Libby’s parents, afraid she would be questioned about her emotional state. She just wanted to get back home, and lock herself in her room until she forgot about the pain in her chest. Forgot she was alive.

“please don’t leave me alone.”

The question tore through her heart. She struggled to contain the tears as she gently put both of her hands on his cheeks, making eye contact to make him realize she was speaking the truth. “Never. I promise you. I know I have a history of leaving people without saying goodbye, but trust me, I will never do that to you. You are worth staying for.” She leaned in slowly, connecting their lips in a short kiss. She couldn’t help but think of all the people she had left behind. How she broke their hearts. How did she know this time was different? “Because I love him. More than I’ve ever loved anyone,” her mind responded. Once the kiss ended, Marina considered him, unable to utter words. The realization scared her, but she knew she couldn’t turn back on her promise. She just needed time to sort her feelings out.