Shannon Smith

“You are a bright light, Elli.’ His own breath hitches, a sound that I cannot quite grasp. His eyes are darkening, his lips tightening. His hands grasp me tighter and he moves closer, his mouth inches from mine, I can almost taste the sweetness and saltiness of his scent, the rich coffee beans and sugar, the vague spearmint. I say nothing, I’m not even sure I’m breathing.
‘You shouldn’t have to see such pain, such blackness. You are too pure.’
His lips do not collide with mine, his skin does not brush against me, only his voice sends a shiver down every notch in my spine, trailing goose bumps over my skin. He tilts his head to the side, his lips gently brushing against my ear. And that is all. I’m not good enough for him. I’m not. That’s why… that’s why…
‘Too pure…”
― Charlotte Munro, Grey October

“I sunk to my knees in the spot he had left me. I felt a part of me had just been lost. I was fraught with so many emotions, confused by them all; however, I was hurt more than anything. Hurt to hear him call himself a monster. A monster? Of all the things I thought he was, a monster was not one of them.”
― Charlotte Munro, The Lockharts

“By the sound of things, you know nothing about mathematics.'
'You can put it like that. I'm utterly useless.'
'Useless is such a harsh word, you are merely... inexperienced. So I thought we could start at the beginning.'
'I'm not that stupid. I know how to add, subtract and multiply-'
'I don't mean that kind of beginning...”
― Charlotte Munro, The Lockharts

“Ah, such a good pretty one.' There was a pause, 'You even got yourself dressed up.”
― Charlotte Munro, The Lockharts