“Denying your feelings doesn’t mean you don’t have any,” she says. “So for once, stop denying—and give me an honest answer.”
Her voice hitches up. Tears pool in the corners of her eyes. They turn her hazel irises into a bed of embers.
“Do you have feelings for me, Kolya?” she asks, simple and forthright.
I’ve spent most of my life lying. I’ve always had a good reason to. But right now, staring down at that unflinching gaze, I realize I’ve run out of reasons.
I’ve run out of road—the path my father laid at my feet has come to a sudden and abrupt end. There’s an abyss waiting for me, and I can’t see the bottom from where I’m standing.
If I take one step forward, I’ll fall in.
If I say one word, I’ll fall in.
Every cell in my body is screaming at me to shut my eyes and back away before
