PTE

WHO SHE

..

ar, watching them,

so happy,"

his phone and t

elia Doughty. Little or big, significant or insi

is fist on the steer

bt and walked out of the school gate in

check her bag,

grabb

ed, looking up to see Al

ed her against it. She lost her footi

d walked past him, refusin

to nurse it. His eyes stayed on her back as she walked away,

his words from days before. "So why

ck and looked

eat faster. "Why do I keep seek

at the ground,

llowing her. He only stood there, saying nothi

ut waiting for an answer. The engine start

d of the car was gone. She took a

o his villa, gripping

door, the house went quiet. No one

t day. The food. The water. The

ehn? Who?" His voice thu

e table and threw it to the floor.

he pieces with his bare hands. A sha

pered to each other a

anding there like s

t the sight of h

their faces, then turned an

bed and took out an old photo. He sat

oice cracking, "what

the photo t

othing changes. It was all

hoto still held against him

id quietly, "why does it

oto frame until the glass cra

younger face stared back, smilin

ndon me," he sa

it, then stopped, his hand shaking

waiting on his desk. Every piece of

the folder with his th

is face growing darker wit

held the child close, the same boy he h

"She used to tell me they were only best friends. How can

ettle him. If anything, it left

alled his assistant. The lin

And anything else relate

ply, and one thought sat heavier than the