Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Clara pushed herself to her feet, swallowing nervously. "Someone gave it to me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dylan stared at the photo for a long moment. Without a word, he pulled out his lighter and flicked it on.

As the flame flared, Clara reached out, trying to stop him, but he just looked at her and asked, "Who gave it to you? When did this happen?"

Something about him tonight sent a chill through her. She took a step back, heart pounding.

The fire crept higher, almost burning his fingers, but he didn't even flinch. He just watched her. "Answer me."

Clara pressed her lips together and looked down. "I don't know who. A few days ago."

He let out a dry, humorless laugh and flicked the smoldering remains away. "A few days ago?"

So she'd been hiding it all this time. No wonder she'd seemed distracted lately, like something was weighing on her. It was because of this.

Even in her sleep, she called out someone else's name.

So that's what it was.

Losing her memory couldn't erase it.

Growing up didn't help either.

It was like that person was carved into her bones, and Dylan realized, no matter what he did, he could never cut him out.

Seeing how much this hurt him made Clara's chest ache. She didn't even really know why she'd hidden the photo in the first place.

She tried to comfort him, but he

night sky, bright enough to split

remembered her words-all the sarcasm, the bitterness, the way she looked at him

thing that hurt most: "Why couldn't it have been

to hide things, but in the end, it

She stepped closer, cupping his face in her hands. "I didn't mean to hide it. I just... I was scared you'd

lips. They were

made her shudder, and she pulled her

me another

Inen

away from her, standing ramrod straight. "You're not the only one who lost something important. I

there, rubbing her forehead, then hurried after

into the

raising her head when the

out in his

kept his eyes down, his face

second, then grabbed a towel and reached up to dry his hair.

"Dylan―"

Bang!

His fist

ammed into the picture

on the wall. His

pooling at

don't love me. You