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He steps back and letshere?"

He points, "I wanted to see her" His eyes are different now They avoid me

"Did you knoas here?"

I can see the answer in his face "No I expected you to still be in session I was going to wait in the other offices" I feelabout the other offices The ones with the cells and the kitchen sink The intense role-playing therapy offices He sees my reaction and fakes a warh he avoidsand told hs and runs his hands through his dark hair I want to touch it I want to touch hi with conflict

The doors have closed, so he leans past me and pushes the button The proximity and the warmth of him heat my face up "I need you" I whisper into his arm, I don’t even knohy

He steps back I see his answer Anxiety builds inside of me I brush past hirip my coat and walk to the car Stuart waves at o of the rejection Eli is a head case too He’s the male version of me

Stuart opens the door and I catch a glint of so look off that face" I say as I climb in

He chuckles and climbs in The car is started and warm "I still cannot believe that shit worked Look at you, touching doors and shit You were the toughest nut to crack girl"

I snort I look out the

"You know you’re a different girl right? Sarah, you look different, you talk different, you walk different No more orphan Annie" I meet his dark eyes in the rearview I see myself differently in his eyes He nods, "It orth it It ht not feel like it today or next month, but it was"

I pull out es I’ve missed I still have to have it on at all ties His rules are still in place but I obey them now for a different reason

’I need to see you this evening I need to talk to you’ I shudder The last tie like that, I ended up in a cell I don’t get how he can talk to me on text but not to my face I wonder if it’s the same as me and Sebastian separated by the bathroo about him the way I do Sebastian and shake ht I should have called thelance up and look at Stuart in the mirror, "She coonna kick reement, "Yeah She is She still thinks I should call the cops She’s pissed and I haven’t even told her anything yet"

His eyes flinch, "I know"

I s to hate that fact That you tricked me"

"I know"

I shake my head, "I still can’t believe you tricked me"

He puffs up his chest and"Three years of theatre" He looks proud of himself

I shake my head, "Are you even from Wichita?"

He shakes his head, "Nope Detroit Dr Bradley said I should be from a southern state because studies shoomen feel safer with " He drops the Kansas accent

I feel sick "Is your naet into this?"

His eyes narrow He watches me for a second and then looks back at the road, "Dr Bradley, she’s my doctor too I’ve helped on a couple now All the people there were either doctors or patients who have survived and coet it It’s extreme and harsh but it’s the only way sometimes"

I doubt the authenticity of the story for a second, but the look in his eyes isn’t soets when they reet

"Do you ever just wish it had been you that didn’t make it?" I ask and stare out the

"Everyday" His words are hollow like mine

Chapter Fifteen

The door bursts open She leaps at s and examines every inch Tears have claimed her face and mine She wraps aroundshe says over the shriek in her voice I feel like I’m in aher face She’s huffing and puffing It takes her a minute before she speaks

"Did they hurt you badly?"