Love, Summer
Trapped in a toxic relationship, Summer endures daily humiliation and emotional abuse, haunted by a past she can barely remember. Her life spirals as her manipulative boyfriend, Brendan, isolates her from friends and dictates her every move. But a chance encounter with Reese, the ex-boyfriend she mysteriously left two years ago, ignites a flicker of hope. Can Summer reclaim her voice, escape Brendan's suffocating control, and uncover the truth behind her painful past before it's too late?
The fluorescent lights of the school hallway hummed, a familiar, grating sound. I felt like a ghost, drifting through the bustling currents of students, each collision a painful reminder of my own transparency. Someone shoved past, and the sharp edge of a locker dug into my side, sending a familiar throb through me. I didn't even flinch as I sank to the floor, the cold linoleum seeping into my leggings.
It was normal now. Everything was. The whispers, the shoves, the hollow ache in my chest. Ever since I started dating Brendan, my world had shrunk to this unbearable routine. I pushed myself up, my muscles protesting, and continued my silent walk to class, praying for the day to just… end.
