Valarie

The door to my apartment slammed shut, but I couldn't block out the sound of Hailey’s voice. What did she take from you, Valarie? Those words were crawling under my skin like a fever. I leaned my back against the cold wood, my lungs burning as I tried to catch my breath. My hands were shaking so violently that my keys fell to the floor with a sharp, metallic clatter.

I didn't turn on the lights. I didn't want to see my own reflection in the floor to ceiling windows. I didn't want to see the expensive furniture or the designer bags that felt like lead weights around my...