Alexia Monteiro

“You have no idea, do you? You two lost each other - I lost both of you." He hurls the bottle at the wall. It smashes against the tiles over the sink and the place instantly reeks of beer. "Screw this." He shifts. Two seconds later something hits the wall in his room.”
― Paula Weston, Haze

“There’s something in my voice that brings him back to me, overrides his buzz. ‘Gaby’—all traces of playfulness have gone—‘if anything ever happens to me, you’ll be fine. You’re strong enough to look after yourself. I hate to admit it, but you don’t need me. Never did.’ A smile. ‘But listen, nothing is going to happen today. It’s all good.’

‘Jude, we’re high enough up to get a nose bleed.’

‘So come with me.’

I blink. ‘Fuck off.’

‘I mean it. We can do this together.’ He raises his eyebrows at the girl who checked his harness. She nods.

I risk looking over the side. There’s a river far beneath us. So far down we can’t hear it. My entire body goes numb.

‘You’ve got about thirty seconds and then I’m going on my own.’

What a choice: watch my brother jump out of this car or put aside my own fear and go with him. Share the recklessness. Why didn’t we go to Paris? We’d be arguing over where to buy cheese right now.

Adrenaline begins to burn through me. ‘Screw it.’

Jude breaks into a wide smile. ‘Seriously?’

I glance at the yawning space beneath us. ‘Hurry up before I change my mind.”
― Paula Weston, Haze

“We’re not doing that, and you know it.” He doesn’t speak again I lean closer, lower my voice. “I know things are messy with us, but do you really think I could just walk away from you?”

This time he doesn’t look away. “Do you really think I’d let you?”
― Paula Weston, Haze

“I glance down at my threadbare t-shirt and baggy flannelette pyjama bottoms.”
― Paula Weston, Burn