"Words are like swords," I whispered to myself, feeling the truth of those words resonate deep within me. They had pierced my heart with their sharpness, leaving wounds that may never fully heal. But could they be unsaid? Could the pain they caused be undone?
As I walked away from him, his pleas echoing in the night, I couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that gnawed at my soul. The memories of his sweet promises and tender gestures now tainted by the harsh reality of his deceit.
In the silence that followed, a quote echoed in my mind, a reminder of the power of words: "The tongue has no bones, but it is strong enough to break a heart." How true those words rang now, as I grappled with the shattered pieces of my own heart.
But despite the pain, I knew that I had to find the strength to move forward, to leave behind the hurtful words and forge a new path for myself. For while words may wound, they also have the power to heal. And perhaps, in time, I would find the words to mend my broken heart.
As Claire aims to leave her oppressive stepfamily behind, she befriends Zion. Will he be her ticket to freedom or a distraction in achieving her dreams?
*****
Claire Olsen has had a crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him, but he never noticed, instead only having eyes on the school's it girl, Maddie Jennings. Knowing she couldn't compete with Maddie, Claire hid her feelings for Zion, satisfied with admiring him from afar. However, when a series of events led Claire closer to Zion, her feelings for him grew from infatuation to love. And despite fighting hard to keep her feelings contained by distancing herself from Zion, he was determined to show her that he's earned a spot in her life.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]