ra's bandaged leg, she drew in a quick, sharp breat

y. She simply said the injury wouldn't ruin her dancing

said softly. "If something like this sidelined

answer. Kendra tried to protest, but it was no use-she

"Back in school, you were always smiling, full of life. These days, you just loo

ilence said everything she

ggling part-time jobs just to get by. But Jaycob wouldn't let you lift a finger. He worked five jobs at once so you could focus on dance. When word go

anted to cry, but the tears wouldn't c

ad it com

stared her in the face. Jaycob no longer loved her. Some people were only meant to weather the hard times t

all the way to the fro

eing alone with Jaycob might stir up too many feelings, or that old memor

d gently, giving her friend's han

eelchair herself

ed on his nose, his brow creased slightly as he s

lining his figure so sharply and perfectly that eve

ss the room. For the first t

a flicker of annoyance crossing them. "It's only a m

air to the elevator, rode it up to the second floor, and h

a wardrobe. Her few possessions fit into one small suitcase, the

endra moved awkwardly down the hall. She pressed the elevator button and rode back to

she rolled toward Jaycob, "th

ngely, a deep calm settled over her. It was like closing the final chapter of a long,

eyes fixed on her neat signature at the bottom.

coming back. You fought so hard to win over Grandma. You even broke things between Valer

the one who got it wrong all these years. I wish

she had been a quiet shadow he could never quite escape, always there, always patient, always trailing just behind him. A

s to his again. "I ha

e a small

id you suddenly get