For Better or Hearse

by Ava Hunter

Though Ash is always homesick for her cousin, Tessie is where she’s supposed to be. Alaska. Getting railed daily by her bearded mountain man.

“I don’t want to be a main character. I want to be that statue in the corner of the room that sometimes gets mistaken for a ghost and scares the shit out of people.”

“You are not a mess,” she tells herself. “You are very much all the fuck put together.”

She may get knocked down, but she’s like one of those creepy clown punching bags—she pops right back up.

Nathaniel strides up to her, one big hand clenched around his phone. He’s dressed like a sexy grandpa from the ’60s.

“That’s a brave thing to do. Live for yourself. Most people don’t realize it’s what they want until it’s too late.”

“I know who I am…but sometimes I think people don’t want me because of who I am. That they don’t see me.”