ELLE
My mother's voice on the phone is exactly what I don't need right now.
"Elle, please tell me you're not making the same mistake twice."
I'm sitting in my apartment, trying to work on a piece about The Forge's upcoming playoff push, and her voice just... breaks through all of my defenses.
"Hi, Mom," I say, like that's an answer.
"Don't 'hi Mom' me. I saw the news. Blake Delvalle. Again. Tell me this is just for the story. Tell me you're not actually dating him."
I don't say anything.
"Elle."
"It's complicated," I say finally.
"It always is with him," my mother says, and her voice shifts from angry to something worse—concerned. "It always is. Do you remember what he did to you last time? Do you remember how small you became? How invisible?"
"Mom—"
"You called me at 2 AM cryin
