The Rules

Havermouth, Five Years Before

Rhett turned up the music, blocking out any opportunity to talk further, and Aislen sighed and looked out the window, fighting back tears, a sense of shame tight in her chest. It was no different to going to the motel with Toby, she told herself. She was becoming the whore that everyone thought that she was, accepting the role, and compromising her pride in order to become it, because no matter how degrading it was, she wanted to be with the Triquetra.

She could not explain why she wanted to be with them so badly, just that not being with them left her feeling lost and hollow. It was worse not being with them, than being with them, no matter how awful they were to her. Was it love? She turned and looked at Rhett. Her heart ached in misery. Perhaps that was how love felt.

Music and books described love as suffering and wanting to sacrifice all to be with the beloved, so maybe it was love.

Despite her gift, despite all the glimpses she had into other’s