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Damn it. I’m pretty sure if I open my mouth right now, I’m going to sob.

“Whitley? You there?”

“I—” My voice splinters, and suddenly I’m a blubbering mess. Ugly, wrenching sobs rip from the depths of my soul.

Violet’s voice turns frantic. “Oh my god, Whit, what happened?”

I can’t even form words. It’s like something has broken loose inside me, something that’s been building without my knowledge. The pain is physical, a vise around my chest, squeezing until I can barely breathe.

“He—” I gasp between sobs. “He said⁠—”

Another wave crashes over me, and I curl into myself, phone clutched to my ear like a lifeline. I’ve been hurt before. I’ve had relationships end. But this is different. This is like someone reached inside and tore out something vital.

“I’m coming over,” Violet says immediately, and I don’t tell her not to.

Violet shows up like the goddess she is, arms loaded with cookie dough ice cream. I’m a pint and a half in when I let the words slip out.

“I love him.”

Violet blinks, then leans in, grabbing my hand. “Whit…”

“No,” I cut her off, urgency gripping me. “Don’t feel bad for me. I’m saying it because it’s true, even when he makes me feel like I shouldn’t.”

Violet doesn’t say anything right away. Just squeezes my hand tighter.

I drop my head back against the couch and sigh dramatically. “God, I’m gonna have to be one of those people now, aren’t I? Crying into their cereal, listening to breakup playlists, talking to their best friend like she’s the licensed therapist and not me.”

“You already talk to me like I’m a licensed therapist,” Violet deadpans.

I snort, even though it comes out wet and pathetic. “Yeah, well, now I’ll be sobbing while I do it. Fully unhinged.”

She quirks a brow. “Are you ever not fully unhinged?”

“Jesus, do I have any coping mechanisms that aren’t clichés?”

Violet leans in closer, tucking a blanket around my legs like I’m made of glass. “You make jokes when you’re hurting. That’s your thing. But this isn’t a paper cut, Whit.”

“I know.” My voice breaks again, and I hate how raw it sounds. “Dammit, I know.”

She tilts her head, eyes knowing but kind. “You don’t need to pretend like this is something you can joke away. You love him. You didn’t just catch feelings. You plummeted.”

I bite my lip and look away, because she’s right. I free fell, no parachute.

Violet nudges my foot. “Do you want him to come back?”

“I want him to want to come back,” I whisper.

I replay it all again. His pale face in the car, features drawn tight. The way his hands clenched the wheel like he was holding himself together with desperation. He didn’t look cruel. He looked like someone about to shatter.

He was scared.

“I think something happened,” I say slowly, turning toward her.

Violet furrows her brows. “You mean besides him being a bit of an asshole?”

“Yeah.” I blink, my heart starting to beat with a different rhythm now—still broken, but curious. “I think something spooked him. He’d been getting calls and texts all night before it all went sideways.”

Violet’s gaze sharpens. “From who?”