Read As I Fade (One Breath at a Time: Book 1) for Free Online Page B

love you so much.” I felt an overwhelming need to tell her that. “If something goes wrong just know that, okay?”
    “ Stop that kind of talk. There’s nothing that’s going to go wrong,” she scolded me.
    Nuilley just didn’t understand what I was trying to tell her. But I felt it in my bones—call it a premonition—actually it was more than that. Plus, I had been warned prior to what I had chosen to do that afternoon might not play in my favor.
    “You’re right,” I said peppily, injecting my voice with extra positive infection, hoping she wouldn’t worry about me.
    “ Stop sweating things...I-I love you too...Boo-boo,” she cautiously said with a hint of trepidation.
    That was a slip of the tongue. She had never said those words before, to me or anyone else. It had also been years since she used that silly name, Boo-boo, too. We were kids when she first called me that. Hearing it made my thoughts travel back in time, when we were two peas in one pod. Things had changed so much between us since then. Now, I knew she was truly worried for my welfare, which only made me feel worse for not sharing private matters with her in the last nine months, or more.
    “No matter what it is, you will always be my best friend forever,” she admitted and laughed nervously.
    I could tell that this cost her. Nuilley Lambert had never been one to mince words, but she also didn’t use too many words of affection either, except of course, calling me unique silly pet names.
    “You’re mine too.” I smiled into the phone.
    “ Too?” I heard her whisper. “Is that what I said? You’re mine, hmmmmm—maybe I did,” she half-assed admitted, stifling her true mocking—sometimes, rude ways—from me. She’d spent years suppressing the wounds of her bitter childhood, and because of this she’d become expert at disguising herself to the world. Knowing her as I did, I’d never needed to press for an affirmation of her affection. I knew a tender heart existed somewhere beneath her tough-girl facade, I’d always hoped that a little of my romantic idiosyncrasies had rubbed off on her over the years. Now I was sure of it.
    “ So, see you in about an hour?” I asked, changing the subject, saving her from an emotional revelation. The phone hissed with static. “Nuilley, are you there still?” I sat down holding the receiver tightly to my ear, hunching near the window, hoping for a stronger signal.
    “ I can’t, Brielle, I’m spending the night—haven’t you heard there’s a bad stor—”
    “ I can’t hear you. What? Nuilley, Nui...”—“ Shit...” I whispered under my breath when the call dropped. “Please, just come over. I need you,” I begged, hoping she would somehow telepathically hear me.
    Just then, the train’s momentum slowed down, coming to a smooth stop. My heartbeat calmed slightly too...surely, Nuilley would meet me at the brownstone. She wasn’t one to let a friend down, not after hearing the panic in my voice.
    Disappointed that we hadn’t confirmed our plans, I tossed my cell into my purse. At that point, I could only hope she would show up. No matter what, we were always there for each other in times of need.
    “ Please, watch your step when disembarking the train,” the automated announcer called out; it was in French, but I knew what it meant. Half the crowd pushed up into the aisle.
    “ Excusez moi, Mademoiselle,” a distinguished man said as he gathered his satchel and business jacket into his arms. He threw me a few odd glances, eyeing me as if I were painted blue or something. I couldn’t really blame him.
    “ Sure...sorry—désolé,” I replied, tilting my knees in the opposite direction, allowing him to pass by.
    Quickly, I brushed away a few donut crumbs that stuck to my jeans and pushed up into the mass of people.
    “Hey lady...I got something for you.” The man that was sitting behind me called out, his voice filled with condescension. Immediately, I knew he was