BRIEF IS MY LOVE

"THERE IS NOTHING BEAUTIFUL ABOUT THE END WHEN YOU'RE LEFT TO WATCH IT ALONE."

Beau Hamilton was just a 17-year-old girl from Oregon, when her world turned completely upside-down. Now, reeling from the loss of her boyfriend, Beau Hamilton has to confront the harsh truth that life is not just a small moment and it is never fair. As she navigates her new reality, she must learn to rely on her friends and family to help regain her footing and trust the one person she swore to never let in; Treidyn Cooper, Sunset High's notorious troublemaker.

Will Beau find the peace that she needs to move on or will she continue to let herself spiral?

PROLOGUE:

The dark slowly trickles down my throat; it clings to my airways and sweetly steals the oxygen from my lungs. The shattering of glass is deafening in the silence that surrounds me. I crouch in the corner and cover my ears as police sirens wail. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, urging my body to get up and run, but fear holds me hostage. Its long bony fingers wrap around my body, its sickly voice is whispering in my ear, making me shiver. A droplet of sweat runs down my face from my temple and drips onto the cold cement down below. My breathing has reached a painful staccato, and I can't seem to get it under control.

Don't go. Don't go and check. Stay with me, right here. Don't leave me alone! Please don't leave me alone!

Behind the lids of my eyes, I watch my whole world crumble beneath my feet, and I am powerless to stop it or any of the events leading. Even after my world ceases to exist, I am left in the cold emptiness of the universe. Alone.

There is nothing beautiful about the end when you're left to watch it alone.

I am practically cursed to relive the worst moment of my entire life. The slow, agonizing burn just before the blood bubbles up to the surface and splatters onto the ground below. Memories cut through every part of me, reopening every scar that was left behind on my broken heart, and they hurt, oh god, they hurt so much. The pain is unbearable, but I have to sit there and let it take over every single inch of myself. A cry that mimics laughter rings through my ears as I wish I could go numb already.

But before the uncontrollable panic can set in, a pair of arms wrap around me and pull me close. Then I hear, "Shh... It's okay."

Kian cradles me softly, and I grip his jacket tightly as if my life depends on it or, rather, his. I can't let him go, not this time. I look up into his golden-brown eyes. He smiles softly down at me. Oh, how I miss it when he looks at me like that. I close my eyes and hold onto him tighter. He strokes my hair softly. His fingertips leave warm memories and soothe the pain that I feel. I wish I could stay here in his arms forever.

"Beau, you're okay. None of this is real." Kian whispers in my ear.

My eyes flutter open, but... READ MORE