Evaline:
Everything was a blur from the moment Mallory's words cut through the night like a blade.
Oscar Thorne and Jasmine Bills are getting engaged.
I didn't remember how long I stood frozen by the door after that. Minutes. Maybe an hour. My body moved without command, sliding down against the wooden frame and curling up at the base. This was becoming my new favorite place to fall apart.
I didn't remember if I cried again or just sat there, feeling empty. Broken.
The next thing I was truly aware of was Rowan.
His scent reached me before his voice did, that warm forest-and-mint blend that always made me feel like I was somewhere safe - even when nothing else in my world was. He didn't say anything at first. Just walked over and crouched beside me. No questions. No judgments.
And then he touched me.
Gentle hands around my shoulders, strong arms easing me up like I weighed nothing at all, like I wasn't dragging the weight of my entire world with me.
