Breaking the Wrong by Calia Read

something off about you,” she says slowly.
    I raise a brow, but keep my lips firmly shut. Severine is far from finished.
    “The day you walked into my dorm room I had this horrible feeling that you were after something. I thought it was maybe me or Thayer.”
    All I can focus on is the fact that Severine has overheard my entire conversation.
    I tread lightly and quietly ask, “What did you hear?”
    Severine’s eyebrows shoot up. “Everything.” Severine leans close. “Who are you after?”
    Pressing my body closer to the table, I speak quickly. “I’m taking back my life. I’m after everyone who has hurt me.”
    Her face becomes paler by the second. “When you said you had to befriend me ... what the hell did that mean?”
    The only way I can get her to help me is if I tell her the truth. I can’t do that. I don’t have enough trust in her to blurt out my plan. “Does it really matter now?” I mutter. “You know my intent.”
    Severine rubs her temples and closes her eyes. “I can’t live with you. I can’t room with someone that is after me.”
    “Move out,” I offer. “If you can’t live with me, go move in with Thayer.”
    All she hears is Thayer. She pounces on my words and her expression is completely feral. “Is that who you’re after? Did Thayer do something to you?”
    My memories urge me to open my mouth and tell her parts of my story, but for her, that would never be enough. Severine would expect the story from start to finish. “I can’t tell you.”
    “Why not?” her voice is desperate.
    Without caring, I settle my elbows back on the dirty table. “When everything is said and done, maybe you and I can have a long talk. But right now, no.” 
    I was validated with my hurt. A therapist would call it a vendetta. I call it a therapeutic process to overcome my past. To some people, it’s the exact same thing.
    She’s quiet for a few minutes before she shakes her head and slides out of the booth. Seconds later, she’s standing up and leaning close to me. All I see is malice in her eyes. “We need to be clear on one thing.” My heart is thumping fast. I keep my face blank and wait for her finish. “Stay away from Thayer and me. I’ve worked too hard to have something with him. Do not take that away from me,” she utters slowly.
    Her body uncoils from its hunched-over position, and a plastic smile is now on her face. She taps her hand against the table and turns to leave.
    I don’t watch her leave, but the minute she’s out of the diner, my chest becomes less compressed. I’m finally able to take a deep breath.
    The first time I saw Severine, I saw her strength. It was her armor against the world. I just had no idea how strong...
    But right now, Severine is fearful. Fear makes people do crazy, irrational things. When someone is fearful, everything becomes a knee-jerk reaction in an attempt to protect themselves.
    I have no doubt that she will call me a bitch and a manipulator, but if she had experienced my story, I think she would probably understand my motives.
    Tosha is replacing Severine’s seat in seconds. “Holy shit,” she breathes out. “What did Severine say?”
    I place my money next to the bill and keep my voice casual. “Nothing.” I look at her and narrow my eyes. “By the way, thanks a lot for telling me she was behind me.”
    “I didn’t know she was behind you. You were going on and on about your plan and I wasn’t paying attention!”
    “So then once you see her, you up and leave me? Real nice, Natosha .”
    Tosha gives me a look. “So now you’re going to full name me?” I nod my head and she continues, “You two needed to talk. It was obvious, Emiliana . Plus, you needed to do damage control.”
    “Well, now she knows about my plan. And no damage control was done. I made everything worse.”
    She cringes. “Is she going to tell?”
    “Probably,” I mutter and stand up. “Let’s go. Tonight’s ruined.”

C hapter Twelve
    EMILIA
     
    I’ve