“You have to live, Gabriela. This isn’t just up to you.” I hear his voice, just inches next to my face, his breath hot against me. “Open your eyes, dammit.”
My eyes flutter as I try to go back to the dream and yet, I hear his words and everything in me rises against him. I fight him even in my subconscious.
I hear talking in the background. My mother. Her tears. I feel terrible for the pain I’m causing her, but not terrible enough.
“Sweetheart, wake up. Why would you do this?” My mom’s tears fall on my hand and her shudders shake the bed. “Please, let us know that you’re okay.”
I try to sink back into that deep dark place that felt so much better than this, but it isn’t coming back to me. Why couldn’t I have just drowned?
“The doctor says to keep talking to her,” Raf says. “She can most likely hear us and is aware of what’s going on.”
“Do you think she…wanted to die?” My mom’s voice breaks and she sobs, her forehead landing on my hand as she clutches it so tight.
“No,” Raf says. “She was just swimming…trying to get some exercise and forget a little bit…”
Right.
Even in my semi-comatose state, I’m challenging Raf Barron.
I’d laugh if I wasn’t so angry that I’m still alive.
Acknowledgments
Huge thanks to Christine Estevez for a clean manuscript, Jena Brignola for the amazing cover, and my family for all the love.
About the Author
When Hattie Jude is not reading, she's writing...and when she's not doing either of those things, she wishes she was.
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