Whispers of the Lake

by Shanora Williams

I was done being the nice girl—the sweet lady who takes the high road. Sometimes it felt good to unleash my pettiness and hit people exactly where it hurt.

Some days I feel like I’m losing touch with reality. I do things and don’t know why I do them.

I wish there was someone around who understood me the way she did.

There are friends you keep for life who feel similar to your heart—an organ you carry with you at all times. One you take care of and listen to. One who means so much to you. Then there are the friends who are like dead limbs.

Eve was my dead limb.

Because best friends don’t sleep with their best friend’s husband.

But today was different. I wasn’t that angry woman anymore. Today I simply felt . . . frustrated. But not about Cole.

“There’s something I wanted to talk to her about. Just wanted to, uh, apologize for . . . everything. But the main reason was so I could ask her if she knew any ways I could win you back.

I may be a little fucked up in the head, but no one would ever know it. I’m good at pretending. Good at pleasing. I’ve had to be since I was a child. Why would I change that now?