Around men, I’ve built walls—higher, colder, sharper. Every smile feels suspicious, every word like bait with a hidden hook. I’ve learned the hard way that hearts don’t just break, they bleed. And I refuse to bleed so easily again.
Sometimes I wonder if my brain chemistry has been rewired forever because of that asshole Jacob.
The room suddenly feels suffocating. The truth is, I do want to see him—maybe even need to—but the thought makes my skin prickle with heat. Desire clashes with dread, leaving me burning, restless. I don’t want him to think I’m desperate, or that I’m begging for his attention.
My heart sinks as blood roars in my ears. I stare at the ceiling, silently pleading for air. Cold, crisp air. I sit up, dragging in a deep breath, my gaze locked on the glowing phone in my la
