Dear Heart, I Hate You

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she heard Taylor whisper harshly.

“Nothing. What’s wrong with you?” Kylie snapped back in response.

“Why are you being a bitch?”

Kylie’s voice lowered. “I don’t trust her.”

Taylor laughed. “What do you mean, you don’t trust her?”

“I don’t know,” Kylie whispered. “Call it woman’s intuition or whatever. There’s just something about her I don’t like.”

“Seriously, Kylie? If this is how you’re going to be, then you should just leave.”

There was a pause, before Kylie said softly, “I’m sorry. I’ll try to behave. I promise.”

Taylor huffed out a long sigh. “Do better than try.”

The bathroom door opened slowly and Katherine tried to look busy and uninterested as Taylor walked out first. She mouthed I’m sorry in Katherine’s direction and Katherine gave her a reassuring smile back.

Kylie emerged and looked briefly at Katherine before averting her eyes. “I’m sorry for being mean.”

“It’s okay.” Not wanting an enemy, Katherine did her best to extend an olive branch. “So, are you going to come with us tonight or what?

Kylie pondered the offer. “Yeah. I’ll go.”

“And you’ll stay the night?” Taylor asked.

“Well, I’m not definitely not driving home at three in the morning.”

Taylor smiled. “Good.”

“But one of you better let me borrow some clothes because I didn’t bring anything party-worthy to wear.”

“You can look through my stuff if you want,” Katherine offered.

“Thanks,” Kylie said curtly, and headed toward the closet.

Taylor breathed a sigh of relief. “Plus, Kylie, you can help us look for Kat’s dream guy.”

“Seriously, Taylor? I forgot all about him.” Katherine tried to sound nonchalant, and hoped she could sell it.

“Liar.”

Katherine shot Taylor a look. “It’s totally normal that I can’t stop thinking about him, right? I’m sure I’m perfectly sane.” Katherine rolled her eyes.

Kylie dropped the skirt she was holding and turned around quickly. “What dream guy?”

“Can I tell her?” Taylor looked at Katherine for approval.

Katherine nodded and pretended not to listen as Taylor filled Kylie in.

“Wow. That’s pretty crazy. And you have no idea who he is?” Kylie looked at Katherine with disbelief.

Katherine shook her head. “Never seen him before in my life.”

Acknowledgments

This book was a labor of love. Literally. It hurt me to write it, to share it, to live through Jules’s journey with her. Each chapter felt like pulling teeth to get the words out of my guts and onto the computer screen.