All the Truths (Lies & Truths 2)

Reina-Ellis: Then at least I tried.

An epiphany hits me.

I tried.

If I don’t try, how will I know Asher won’t forgive me? Maybe I can change his perception or prove him wrong.

Old or New Reina would never hurt someone they considered a friend. It just doesn’t work that way in my brain.

I never hurt Bree in the past and she’s a bitch, so that should mean something.

A knock sounds on the door and I startle, nearly dropping the phone.

“Open up, Rei!” Naomi’s voice hollers from outside. “I brought my tools. I can pick this lock.”

“Stop it, Nao.” Lucy’s soft voice reprimands her before she addresses me. “Are you okay, Captain? Do you need anything? I just want you to know we’re here for you, okay? Come out whenever you’re ready.”

“Yeah, campus is so boring without you or whatever,” Naomi grumbles.

My insides expand at her words, and a full-body shudder takes over me.

Did you hear that, dark thoughts?

They care.

My feet move of their own volition as I stumble from the bed and nearly fall as the sheet wraps

around my legs. I kick it off and approach the door like a scared kitten.

The click is loud in the silent room as I open the door, just the slightest bit, enough for my head to peek out. The light from the hallway blinds me and I squint, trying to adjust.

Naomi and Lucy stand there, both carrying their school bags.

“Hi,” I whisper in a hoarse voice that doesn’t resemble my own.

I must look like shit. My makeup must be smeared, my hair is in complete disarray, and my clothes are rumpled.

If they notice that, they don’t comment. Lucy grins, her cheeks moving with the motion. Naomi straight-out kicks the door open and barges inside like it’s her house.

“Chop-chop!” She snaps her fingers. “You need to shower stat, and we’re getting out of this torture chamber.”

“I’m so glad you opened up for us, Rei.” Lucy engulfs me in a hug, and I fight the urge to sob as I wrap my arms around her.

I didn’t know how much I needed their company, their presence, until this moment.

From now on, I won’t allow that cloud to catch me all alone. It’ll just swallow me alive and release a corpse.

Naomi pushes me toward the bathroom, declaring that I’m a grown-ass adult who should shower on her own.

I grin as she huffs and helps me by fumbling through my clothes to find me something to wear.

“Where are we going?” I ask as I come out of the shower with a towel wrapped around me and another around my hair.

Lucy is searching through the makeup as Naomi throws me a camisole and dark jeans. “Anywhere downtown.”

“Not The Grill,” Lucy says.

“What’s that?” I ask as I dry my hair.