Ink.Echo

Depression, the one thing that clings to you when your mother dies and you're bullied every single day.

For years, that was Valerie’s reality: a life defined by grief, loneliness, and silent battles no one else could see.

That is, until she meets Jayden, a boy who refuses to let her fade.

With patience, warmth, and a heart full of hope, he becomes her light in the darkness, doing everything he can to pull her back from the edge… and maybe, just maybe, show her that love can heal even the deepest wounds.

The Weird Girlfriend

“Oh my gosh!” the woman gasped, making me hide behind Jayden like a scared puppy. 


She looked scarier than Jayden when he’s pissed, and that’s saying something. Each step she took closer made me inch even further behind him. 


I glanced up at Jayden, he gave me a soft, reassuring smile. 


I took a deep breath and stepped forward. The woman cupped my cheek gently, suddenly smiling like an angel. 


“So sweetie, what’s your name?” she asked sweetly. 


“Valerie Griffin,” I replied, shyly. 


“She’s the bitch that stole him from me!” Carmen shrieked. 


But suddenly Carmen was right in front of me, smiling all creepy like she was trying to intimidate me. 


I stepped up to her—and smacked her. Hard. So hard my hand stung like fire. For a second, everything froze. 


“So… were you going to say something, Ma’am?” I asked. 


Chapter 9