Fractured Glass

"Why is this happening to me?" My breaths are tight in my chest, and tears threaten to spill over.
"Because," Rhetta says, struggling to find the words, "sometimes people are punished for crimes they haven't committed. You're being punished for the crimes of another, and I know it's not fair."
Tears run down my face. "Sorry," I whisper, wiping them away. "I must look idiotic."
"No," Rhetta says slowly, looking at the tear making its way down my cheek. She leans forward and moves her thumb along my cheek, wiping it away. Our faces are so close they nearly touch. She looks up at me, and my heart stops. Her eyes flutter down to my lips. Then back up to my eyes.
And my life is never the same.

"The love of someone who has never been loved properly should be treasured; it is a rare thing to be given away." -unknown