t of her own body-like the ground beneath her was ready t

g too fast in the blink of an eye. It happened to

really ju

ad. She stared at him, her

his e

never left hers, felt as thoug

t no sound exited. N

y. He watched as his best friend proposed to his

ever expe

e brought her back, it

to his, meeting the stea

couldn'

ed as she swallowed

e knew he heard them. Knew, because his grip fa

s no room for hesitation, she knew that if she wai

em, because if she didn't, s

ted to reject hi

she could process the whirlwind of emotion

eels t

pushed

nly-she w

arl

r her. She heard it. She f

cou

the grand hall doors, she rais

Ta

ther by fate or sheer luck,

pen and threw herself

d for only a second

s eyes flickered back to the ent

e, he had ch

ower, if she had hesitated, he wo

she have p

of this. No explanation that woul

the only thi

e r

streets. Darla sank into the seat, pressing a hand t

ounding. K

a haze before the cab pull

river as she shoved cash in

no home.

days, this motel h

she needed

woman being hunted. Even though Ethan wasn't here. Even t

shoving her hands beneath the bed. Her fingers curled around

ess, unzipped it, and starte

s trembling and h

know where s

know what sh

was that she

st of her things insid

she just stared

that contained ever

asn't

t feel li

e gone in the fire that burnt her home. All she

the handle, she pulled it be

the ha

gh the

of the receptionist as she check

taxi, The ride to th

clenched together in her lap, starin

tretched across the sk

y had already begun its descent into darkness. It

ving toward a destination they h

running towa

s runni

ing, a desperate escape. The details didn't matter. All that

ging her luggage past the last securi

a." Sh

s his

turn around to kno

ok. Wanted to see his face,

what

the damage? What could he say th

kept

forward, even as h

e don't

ding, raw in a way she

gling against security, trying to get past

anted to t

eant no entry. T

even know sh

been tra

tter, She cou

to turn around. Even as every step forw

k back as she b

othing left

e, Her fiancé had m

k of her eyes, but she r

seatbelt, and stared straight ahea

touched the ground, Darl

along the way, because when she opened

ve. Registering the fact tha

, staring at the se

g New York City but who knew it w

d the strap of her bag as s

f the plane-into the cold, unfamiliar ai

he airport stretc

the window, watching a

g buildings. The crowded streets. The restless

wasn't

lled up to the house, h

t as she remembered it-tall, f

pped inside, memories flooded

ls, laughing without a care in the world. Th

r suitcase fa

to her bag, pulling out the small, fra

mily po

st her palm as she stared dow

her lips before

psed onto the floor, clutching the frame to

ldn't, Because she never even got t