That night, I went back to my apartment for the last of my things. I called my friend first. Then Murray. “I passed,” I said, voice cracking. He went quiet for a beat. “Of course you did.”
That night, I went back to my apartment for the last of my things. In the lobby, I ran into Jace. He looked me over like he expected me to still be broken. “So… you’re doing okay.” “Yeah,” I said. “I am.”
He frowned. “Hmm. I guess you never really needed me. Maybe you were just using me.” He meant it like a jab. “I needed support,” I said. “You offered it. Then you pulled it. But I never asked for any of it. You offered.”
It didn’t feel like punishment anymore. He opened his mouth. I lifted my hand. “Don’t.” He stopped. I walked past him and stepped into the cold.
It didn’t feel like punishment anymore. I’d taken a hold of my own life, and I was proud of myself. I could feel the weather turning a bit. It was still cold outside, but it was getting warmer. And for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t waiting for someone else to decide my life. I’d taken a hold of my own life, and I was proud of myself.
