Status Updates From Once an Ever After (Once Up...

ASHLEY POSTON

these novellas always feel like they're trying to gaslight me, wasn't elle going to UCLA?

ashley poston, you cannot do this to me

I was not prepared for this much heartache this early in the morning 😭

No, I tell myself. You’re your biggest obstacle. Meet him
halfway.


CRYINGG

Alone in my apartment, I press my back against the door and
slide to the ground and sit there for a long time. I don’t cry, but I
don’t feel very much alive, either

I’m used to sad things. I’ve experienced sadder—my parents—
but it doesn’t soften the blow. Things are sad in different ways.
My breakup with Darien was sad in the soft and quiet way, and
Darien kissing Kate on the front page of People was sad in a
bitter, twisting way. Frank’s death is like a window cracking. It’s
sharp and sudden and terrible.

My chest still hurts, though, in the way things always hurt
when you do the hard thing.