The air was thick with tension as Aimee and I stood together, her hand still clasped in mine. Her determination to fight for me, for us, had always been my strength, even when I couldn't see a way out of this curse. But now, standing at the brink of another battle, I felt the weight of my failures press down harder than ever. The curse had been dormant for a while, but it was always there, lurking, waiting for the perfect moment to take over.
Aimee didn't know how close I'd come to giving in during those dark nights. She had no idea how often I stood at the edge of losing myself completely, of becoming the monster Emily wanted me to be. I couldn't bear the thought of Aimee seeing me like that, of her being forced to stop me if I lost control. But here we were, with no other choice.
