Still Beating

by Jennifer Hartmann

“Every love story is worth writing, no matter how messy it might be,” Holly says absently, still stroking my hair. “I would like to read your book.”

There are worse nightmares than this. I could be all alone.

“Do you want to know the worst night of my whole life?” she asks suddenly, her voice merely a whisper, yet so loud in the silent room. The truth is, I don’t think I want to know… but I assume she wants to tell me. “What was it?” Cora tickles my arm as her fingers glide back down, inciting goosebumps to sprout all over my skin. “It was the night after we… well, the first time you had to…” She swallows. “You didn’t talk to me. You didn’t sing. And it was so dark.”