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"Does that mean you haven't had enough of me?" I tip my chin up to look at him.
"I’ve just got a taste, Pumpkin. I want to consider this entire floor ours. My space is your space. I don’t want to sleep without you next to me."
Thump, thump goes my heart.
"Is that okay with you?"
I roll my lips to hide my excitement and nod. "I’d like that."
His smile widens, causing my knees to loosen like a stretched-out rubber band.
"We can work out the details later. I honestly don't care as long as we're together. My place, yours, both," he shrugs.
Julian is so relaxed about giving up his space to me. Andrew always made me feel like a trophy he was placing on his shelf. I had no say, just a spot to be admired.
I was such a fool. Why was I so weak?
Because you were terrified, and when you are cornered, you have no idea how you will react. You just want to survive, and sometimes that means biting down and grinding your molars into flattened planes until you can run free and escape.
At least my monster let me escape. So many people don’t get that chance.
It's so easy to judge a book by its cover, by its blurb, 'she was abused but stayed with her abuser, she is so stupid. Why would she do that?'
I wish that, instead of judging, people would empathize.
After finding my keys, I unlock my door, but instead of silence, a shout rings out from inside my apartment. Harper bursts into the entryway with the flair only she can pull off.
"I'm back, bitches!" she declares, her voice dripping with sass. Her long blonde hair swaying like a flag of rebellion. Those bright blue eyes of hers are practically winking with mischief. With one hand dramatically thrown up and the other on her hip, she's not just making an entrance; she's holding court.
What the heck! My heart races but then stills at the sight of my best friend.
“Oh wait, I forgot!” She hurries to her half-unpacked luggage in my living room. “Where are you... ah, there!” She grabs a long silver and blue striped tube, grinning devilishly, and twists it. There’s a pop, and Julian instinctively grabs my hips, stepping protectively in front. Silver confetti and glitter burst into the air, raining down in a shower that would make a drag queen twirl in excitement.
I look at the glittering mess on the floor, making my apartment look like the aftermath of a disco. “Was that really necessary?” I shake my head, barely concealing my grin.
I do love her, even in all her crazy glory.
“Of course, what is life if not our theater? Make an entrance, Poppy,” Harper jokes, then skips forward to hug me, lifting me slightly off the ground. “I missed you,” she whispers in my ear, out of Julian’s hearing.
“I missed you, too,” I repeat.
She sets me down gently.
“But you’re going to clean this up.”
She places her hand over her heart. “Totally. I promise.”
“What are you doing here?” I ask, feeling excited to see her again.
“You needed a magic fairy to deliver your new laptop and cell phone, so here I am,” she beams, flapping her arms like fairy wings.
“Is she okay?” Julian asks, pushing my luggage aside and setting his bag down. His piercing gray eyes seem to take in the room with amusement.
I can't help but snort a laugh. "Perfectly. This is her normal, which for most people would be crazy.”
Harper nods, "It's a fun life." She adds, grinning at Julian.
“How did you get inside?” I ask.
