“I got ganged up on,” she snapped, her hands shaking at her side. “They pinned me to the ground, after throwing eggs at me.”
I set my ice cream down and slowly pulled myself up. Hazel was shaking with anger now, her jaw grinding together,and I could see tears building in her eyes. “I hate this town. I hate everything about it.”
I didn’t even know what to say. I figured if we kept our heads down and just tried to stay together, maybe things would be okay, but they weren’t. But this? This was worse than just stares or someone whispering something when we walked by.
“Is your lip busted?” I asked as I moved closer to her.
“Yes, because I fought back, and Veronica punched me. I was tired of just taking it.”
My heart sank. Veronica. Of course. She was dating Kyle, a popular big shot. Not like Brandon or Kaleb, but people liked him. Why, I had no idea. He was a douchebag who thought it was fun to pick on Hazel and me. He was constantly saying that we were evil witches plotting to take their town down. That we had something to do with our town being ripped apart.
Hazel glared at me, waiting for me to say something, but I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how I could help. I had been trying so hard to make things work, and it didn’t seem to matter.
“Are you okay?” I finally asked.
Her lips curled in. “No, Gabriella! I’m not okay. I hate this bloody town!” She turned, storming down the hallway, and I heard the bathroom door slam shut. I swallowed, looking around the apartment. This pitiful, disgusting apartment. I thought of the life we had. The sad, pathetic life we had managed to pull together. Was this a way to live? Was this honestly the best we could have?
I thought of our lives in our old town. It wasn’t much better, but at least we were looked at or treated like we were criminals. Somehow, this place was worse.
I walked down to the bathroom and knocked on the door. I slowly opened it to find her sitting on the toilet. She ran a rag through her hair, her hands still shaking. I leaned against the door and let the silence settle for a moment. Neither of us was happy, so what was the point of staying?
“Do you want to leave?”
Hazel’s hands froze, and she looked at me. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, leave the town, Hazel. Pack a bag and just leave it all behind. Find a new place to settle down.”
Hazel remained silent for a moment before she tossed the rag into the tub. “Is there a better place, or is this all we deserve?”
I hated how she said it, how she sounded so defeated. This wasn’t the life I wanted for us. It wasn’t the life I felt anyone deserved.
“We will never know until we try.”
We planned, and a few days later, we were ready. We told no one, thinking it would be easier that way. It wasn’t like there would be tons of people looking for us when we left. The few that would, would soon forget about us anyway.
We both packed a bag and headed out. We asked the neighbor across the hallway to take care of Snow for a day. We figured it would be easier to give her up than try to travel with a kitten.
I hated the twisting in my gut, but I pushed it away. Hazel’s lip was still a little swollen, reminding me that this was what was best for us. A fresh start somewhere else, where no one knew us.
Chapter 2 - Westley
I stared at the library, wondering whether Gabriella was there. I still had ten minutes before she was supposed to arrive. I normally like to make sure our spot is empty and that we have something to drink while we relax.
I headed inside, taking in the space. Marium was standing by the desk typing on her computer. She glanced up as I walked toward the desk. Marium raised an eyebrow at me. “Westley, can I ask you something?”
I paused as I rounded the counter. “Yeah?”
“I found a copy of Ash and Silver stuffed behind the curtains in the corner you and Gabriella use.” She tilted her head. “Does it ring a bell?”
I almost smirked. “Nope.”
She scowled. “I know you’re lying. Why don’t you just get a library card instead of trying to hide your book all around the library?”
“It wouldn’t be any fun for you then, Marium.” I kept walking, heading toward the coffee area. The library was quiet with only a few other people in the building. You could hear a couple of people talking in the distance and the soft hum of the coffee maker. I walked over and poured myself a mug, snapping a lid onto it. I was just about to pour another cup when I heard someone laugh from behind me.
“I never thought I’d see the day.”
I turned around as Mike and Linda stood just behind me. Mike worked closely with Asher and me. He was one of a few we trusted to help watch the town’s perimeter, and he was the firstto be called during an emergency. He was smart and honest. His wife, Linda, was sweet. Always eager to help.
