Verity

by Colleen Hoover

He wants to be invisible in this city. Just like me. Most people come to New York to be discovered. The rest of us come here to hide.

He’s disguising his jealousy as concern.

“Find what you love and let it kill you.” - Charles Bukowski

His girls. “You don’t even know if it’s a girl yet.” He smiled at me. “It’s a girl. I have a feeling.” I wanted to roll my eyes, because technically, it was nothing. Not a boy, not a girl. It was a blob. I wasn’t that far along yet, so assuming the thing growing inside me was actually hungry or craving any particular type of food was absurd.

“Tell Verity I said hello and we hope she’s recovering well.” “I’ll share the message,” Jeremy says, walking past her. “Give my best to Sherman.” Patricia makes a face. “My husband’s name is William.” Jeremy nods once. “Oh. That’s right. I get them confused.” I hear Patricia scoff as we walk away. When we make it to the next aisle, I say, “Um. Who is Sherman?” “The guy she fucks behind her husband’s back.” I look at him, shocked. He’s smiling. “Holy shit,” I say, laughing. When we get to the register, I can’t stop smiling. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen that kind of epic burn in person.

Lowen Ashleigh, falling for an unavailable man with more baggage than even she has. Now that’s karma.

I’m sure it’s mostly in my head, but that doesn’t put me at ease, because the things lurking around inside the mind can be just as dangerous as tangible threats.

It took me a while to go to sleep after that because in a house this size, noises are inevitable. And with the imagination of a writer, every noise becomes a threat.

His compliment settled in my stomach,

But if there’s one thing I know that Jeremy doesn’t…it’s that he doesn’t know Verity at all.

After all, this is a house full of Chronics. The next tragedy is already long overdue.