{"id":254152,"date":"2026-07-13T03:17:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T00:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/before-you-laura-matthews-1\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T03:17:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T00:17:57","slug":"before-you-laura-matthews-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/before-you-laura-matthews-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Before You – Laura Matthews (1)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shielding my eyes from the harsh white light, I glance around the bathroom, but if I don\u2019t even know where I am, how the fuck am I supposed to know where my jacket is. Bracing myself over the sink, I splash more cold water on my face before reaching into my back pocket for my phone, but I swear, my heart stutters in my chest at the empty pockets. My phone is my lifeline to Bailey.<\/p>\n

If he gets into trouble and by some miracle calls me, only I don\u2019t answer because I got too fucked up at a party. I don\u2019t know how I would ever forgive myself. Reaching for the handle, I stagger out of the bathroom into a dorm room, clearly belonging to a girl, and I feel even worse than I did before. What the hell have I done? I drag my hands through my hair, feeling like I\u2019m gasping for air as I search through the messily made bed for my phone.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t have missed a call from Bailey, and Marley\u2014oh god. Marley. My vision blurs as my chest constricts at the thought of hurting her because I took it too far mixing alcohol and pills. The tears slipping down my cheeks echo the cracks breaking me apart from the inside out. Why am I like this? I clutch at my chest, dropping to my knees as the pounding in my head only grows worse.<\/p>\n

How could I be so reckless and stupid? I need to stop taking the pills\u2014this can\u2019t happen again. Marley deserves better than this. I know I wouldn\u2019t cheat on her, but I\u2019d be stupid if I didn\u2019t consider the thought that it could have happened and I\u2019d have no idea. My fist hits the hard floor as I choke on a sob, bowing my head, and everything aches. I\u2019m done. I\u2019m so done with all of this\u2014the crushing pressure everything will fall apart if I fall apart, and I\u2019m nearly killing myself to keep up with it.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s fucking exhausting. A hand rests on my back, startling me. \u201cJJ, oh my god.<\/p>\n

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Cover Design: Books and Moods, www.booksandmoods.com Copy Edit: April Editorial, www.april-editorial.com Proofreading: Bonnie Macleod, www.editsbybonnie.com Translations: Aur\u00e9lie Chevet No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This work may not be used to train any form of artificial intelligence. This is a work of fiction, created without the use of AI technology.<\/p>\n

Any names, characters, places, or incidents are products of the author\u2019s imagination and used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is purely coincidental or fictional. 1kitap1.com\/en Contents The Characters Author\u2019s Note Prologue 1. JJ 2. Marley 3. JJ 4. Marley 5. JJ 6.<\/p>\n

Marley 7. JJ 8. Marley 9. JJ 10. Marley 11. JJ 12. Marley 13. JJ 14. Marley 15. JJ 16. Marley 17. JJ 18. Marley 19. JJ 20. Marley 21. JJ 22. Marley 23. JJ 24. Marley 25. JJ 26. Marley 27. JJ 28. Marley 29. JJ 30. Marley 31. JJ 32. Marley 33. JJ 34. Marley 35. JJ 36. Marley 37. JJ 38.<\/p>\n

Marley 39. JJ 40. Marley 41. JJ 42. Marley 43. JJ 44. Marley 45. JJ 46. Marley 47. JJ Epilogue Acknowledgments Ruined By You Excerpt 1kitap1.com\/en For anyone who wants to be seen and loved for their flaws, instead of being loved in spite of them. 1kitap1.com\/en The Characters The ages in this character list are accurate at the start of Before You, but please keep in mind while reading that birthdays do take place, and the ages will change throughout this book. THE WALKERS Sebastian Walker (51) & Thalia Lewis (49) Mirabelle ~ 22 JJ ~ 21 Hunter ~ 19 Bailey ~19 THE LEWISES Owen Lewis (51) & Blake Morgan (50) THE PRICES Chris Price (51) & Penelope Baudelaire (49) Henry ~ 27 Kaitlyn ~ 19 FRIENDS AND ROOMMATES Marley Benson ~ 21 Asher Locke ~ 22 Charlotte [Charlie] Locke ~ 18 Trent Hart ~ 22 Briar [Bria] Taylor ~ 20 If you do not wish to read through the content warnings listed in the author\u2019s note following this, you may skip to the first chapter of Before You.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.<\/em><\/p>\n

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