Leaning my head against the cold tiles, I listened to Brax's footsteps fade as he walked away from the door. Tears still blurred my vision, but I slowly started to calm myself. But guilt still ate away at me. I would never be able to give Brax what he wanted, and there was no way I could stop spending time with him because if I did, Steve would only punish me for not doing as he told me to. My heart ached to be able to be a normal teenager and to be able to fall for Brax like my heart wanted me to.
Minutes turned into an hour before I mustered the courage to emerge from the bathroom. The room was dark, save for the faint glow from the bedside lamp that Brax had left on. He was sprawled on the bed, arm across his eyes, clearly lost in his own storm of thoughts.
"Brax?" My voice was fragi
