e, fueled by black coffee and a cold fury, rebuilding the entire presentation from my local drafts. I didn' t cover for Liam; I simply sent an email to my boss expla

n't say much, just handed me a bottle of water. We drove in silenc

his eyes on the road. It wasn't a question of judgment, but of

d against the cool glass of

traw? I mean, I've seen him pull this crap for

r, heavy and complicated. How could I explain a death b

st met Olivia?" I asked

hool. Biology class," he said.

amily had moved to town. I was awkward and lonely. Olivia was the first person who really saw me. She w

inadequate. "I was in a pretty dark place. She pul

d-Olivia, a single entity. Our families were friends, our futures intertwined. We talked a

mpted gently. "When d

ed to be on the sidelines of her life. At first, I felt bad for him. Olivia was

the movies, have him over for dinner. I thought I was

ar would break down on our date night. He'd have a 'crisis' right when we were about to leave for a weekend trip. He

ur plans, spend hours on the phone with him, rush to his side. Every time

understand

t have any

eing so jealou

as I the one who was wrong? Was I being sel

ch time, she' d cry, promise it would change, promise she' d talk to him. And for a few weeks, it would be better. But then it would slowly cre

e girl I fell in love with. I kept hoping she would r

Danny asked again, his voice

art I hadn't told anyone, not even him. The

I began. "It wasn't an interview, really. It was a dinner with the

d, listenin

re, just for support. We were going to have a quick coffee nearby. She also

man. Of

s a cross-contamination in the kitchen. I took one bite of the a

ying. The panic, the wheezin

r. I told her I was having a reaction, that I needed

he next par

And she told me she was with Liam. He was having a 'major depressive episode' and had locked himsel

his breath, a sh

ldn' t breathe. I begged her. And she said... she said, 'Ca

nny said flatly. It

onfirmed, my voice breaking for the first time. "I collapsed in the restaurant

y. His knuckles were whi

n. I didn't tell her the full story. I didn't tell her I almost died. I just told her we were done because she

. The weight of the stor

just about the interruptions anymore. It's about realizing that if I was on fire, she wou

lding and put it in park. He didn't look at

h anger. "Get the hell out of this c