r, Jake was

cast, but his h

cket back to his hometow

Emily. He just said he needed a break, to recover away from th

ny ghosts of a man J

igned for Emily, felt alien. He arranged for m

check-up at the hospi

on his crutches, heading towards Dr. M

just need to pick up some pa

an from the photos

reminded himself: She's a

, trying to loo

some man with musician-vibe clothes. Brandon, presumably. Her e

and her eyes l

A look of intense dislike, almos

snapped, her voice sharp. "Ar

tion hung

k canvas where her image should have bee

pointment," he said c

ooked from Emily to Jake, a sl

said, his voice smooth and conf

softened und

way. And you must be Jake. I've heard... a lot about you." Hi

t have the energy for social niceties w

e said, moving t

se called out fr

Dr. Miles is

wards the nurs

move past Emil

ck of reaction, his calm demeanor – it was so differe

ard about the accident from Matt, of course. Matt had been frantic. But he hadn't told

unreadable crossed her

ay, then turned back to Emil

etary tone in his voice. He then lowered his voice, a

her gaze still on J

ets of their conversa

. Miles' offi

firmed his leg was healing well, and

about the person you fo

mly. "And I'm not t

metimes the mind protects itself. If you're com

r the hospital's small courtyard to g

h near a small,

er, Brandon appro

on sat on the bench, a li

d, not loo

ident," Brandon said, his ton

idn't

. she's a great girl. Been through a lot. That

rned to him. "W

u know... your constant pursu

er any of it,"

he sympathy was gone, replaced by skepticism. "So y

ng his voice level. "I'm leaving town today. She wo

now. We're giving it another shot." He smiled, a possessive g

his phone, trying to pull up a p

, arcing through the air, and landed with a splash

randon yelpe

ching for his submerged phone. He overba

he murky water. It wasn't deep, maybe waist-hi

trange sense of detach

looking for Brandon, rushed int

in the pond. She saw Ja

dn't h

a second thought, she kicked off he

Brandon, who was sputtering and coughing. He clear

, pulling him uprig

Yeah... just.

ger out of the pond,

on Jake. Her face

trembling with rage. "I saw you! You were stand

a warm brown, we

thetic and obsessive, but

e injustice of the acc

oice low and dangerous. "He dropped hi

, water dripping from her clothes. She looked wild. "You'v

say another word,

him hard in

is injured leg and crutc

ards, his crutche

falling, then cold water envelop

the bottom, the impact jarring his injured le

casted leg was heavy, an anchor. Water fi

m the edge of the pond, "Stay aw

telling someone, "Don't

ed to go dark.

d in a hospital pond by a woman he suppose

blac