He Promised Forever, Then Left Me

After the crash that killed my parents and stole my voice, my childhood friend Josiah swore he would be my voice. For years, I believed him, my silent world revolving around the boy who pulled me from the wreckage. I was even relearning to speak, just for him.

Then I overheard the truth. To his friends, I was just the "town tragedy girl," a burden he was tired of carrying.

The cruelty didn't stop. He let his new girlfriend publicly humiliate me, and when she faked an injury, he forced me to my knees to apologize in front of everyone.