Runaway (Empire High, #5)

by Ivy Smoak

My life was no fairytale. Which meant Matthew Caldwell wasn’t my knight in shining armor. He wasn’t going to show up and save me. He’d always been good at not showing up when I needed him most.

“It’s going to be a little hard to explain. Actually, it’s going to be impossible. Matthew thinks you’re dead.”

Because I didn’t want to be dead. I didn’t want to be forgotten. I didn’t want to start over again. My dad couldn’t erase my existence as easily as he wanted. Because the dead had to agree to stay dead. And I didn’t agree to any of it.

I’d given Matt my whole heart. He’d promised not to break it. But I guess ripping it out and throwing it into oncoming traffic wasn’t technically breaking it. It was just stealing it and getting it run over. Fuck you, Matthew Caldwell.

“I missed you too, you know,” he finally said, breaking the silence. I looked over at him. His eyes were still trained on the road. I guess wanting to smell his cologne probably was confession enough on my side. I slid my hand onto the center console. I wasn’t sure what I was reaching for. A peace offering? Was I just desperate for physical comfort in the form of his hand? Or was it more? He slid his hand into mine. I stared down at his hand. It wasn’t mine to hold. And yet…I didn’t want to let go.

He was out there. Thinking about what today could have been too. I traced his smile with my fingertip. I’d find my way back to him if it was the last thing I did.

“Ask me to kiss you again when you’re not pissed off at the world. Ask me when you mean it. I’m not doing this again as a substitute for what you really want. Ask me when I’m your first choice.” He let his fingers fall from my chin. “And then I’ll say yes.”

“I fell in love with a boy who was way out of my league. And for a little while he loved me too.”