11-08-2024, 01:35 AM
Her question made him laugh. "YouTube,” he explained quickly, nodding as though that might help convince her.
"It's true. I asked this girl—Anne Marie—to homecoming, wanted to impress her.” As he spoke, memories flickered to life, like embers in a fire he’d thought long extinguished.
The last time he’d seen Anne Marie had been at the casino. Even now, his expression dimmed as he recalled the despicable, dishonorable things he’d done to her. But she’d be alright. Better for her to finally see him for what he was, to let go of any illusions about a future together. A long-term relationship between them would’ve been doomed anyway.
Kiriena was nothing like Anne Marie, though. Well, maybe the hair color—but Annie's was thick and bouncy, while Kiriena's fell sleek and refined. Still, the ghost of old feelings lingered, dredged up by his own careless words.
He looked back at her, forcing himself to shrug it off, as if plunging his head into cold water. A change of topic was welcome.
“I know Wiz—Jared. We served in Legion Premiere together. Fought in Africa. He saved my ass more than once.”
Unlike Anne Marie, whose sudden appearance in his mind had caught him off guard, Jared was a memory he’d been bracing himself to revisit all day. He’d practiced compartmentalizing those memories from Africa, readying himself for questions, rehearsing answers that wouldn’t conjure the ghosts of the past.
But of course, they came anyway.
"It's true. I asked this girl—Anne Marie—to homecoming, wanted to impress her.” As he spoke, memories flickered to life, like embers in a fire he’d thought long extinguished.
The last time he’d seen Anne Marie had been at the casino. Even now, his expression dimmed as he recalled the despicable, dishonorable things he’d done to her. But she’d be alright. Better for her to finally see him for what he was, to let go of any illusions about a future together. A long-term relationship between them would’ve been doomed anyway.
Kiriena was nothing like Anne Marie, though. Well, maybe the hair color—but Annie's was thick and bouncy, while Kiriena's fell sleek and refined. Still, the ghost of old feelings lingered, dredged up by his own careless words.
He looked back at her, forcing himself to shrug it off, as if plunging his head into cold water. A change of topic was welcome.
“I know Wiz—Jared. We served in Legion Premiere together. Fought in Africa. He saved my ass more than once.”
Unlike Anne Marie, whose sudden appearance in his mind had caught him off guard, Jared was a memory he’d been bracing himself to revisit all day. He’d practiced compartmentalizing those memories from Africa, readying himself for questions, rehearsing answers that wouldn’t conjure the ghosts of the past.
But of course, they came anyway.
Only darkness shows you the light.