Chapter 5

I hung up the phone, the receiver cold against my ear. Lying in the hospital bed, I expected a wave of relief, a triumphant feeling of liberation. Instead, there was just a profound emptiness, a chilling calm.

My gaze fell on my phone, still clutched in my hand. Graham's face smiled back at me from the lock screen, a picture from our last summer together. His arm slung casually around my waist, our heads tilted together, a genuine, easy happiness in our eyes. A pang, sharp and unexpected, pierced through me. I thought I was over him. I thought I was done. But seeing his face, even in a picture, still hurt.

I remembered that summer. Late nights spent under the stars, his arm a warm weight around me when the night air turned chilly. "I'll always keep you warm, Katelyn," he'd whispered, pulling me closer. I remembered a hiking trip, me complaining about my tired feet, and him, without a word, scooping me onto his back. "I'll carry your burdens, always," he'd promised, his voice earnest, his breath warm against my ear. And then there was that airport goodbye, the one that broke my heart. "Don't leave me, Katelyn," he' d pleaded, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

It was all a lie. Every word. Every touch. Every promise. My resolve hardened. There was no going back. Not after this.

The next morning, Graham arrived at the hospital, a forced cheerfulness in his demeanor. He carried a small bag, the scent of sweet pastries wafting from it. "Good morning, sleeping beauty!" he chirped, placing the bag on my bedside table. "I brought you some of your favorite macarons!"

I sat up, my movements stiff and deliberate. "Thanks, Graham," I said, my voice flat. I started gathering my few belongings, stuffing them into my backpack. "But I can't eat sweets right now."

He frowned, his smile faltering. "Why not? They're your absolute favorite."

"Gastritis," I stated, my voice devoid of emotion. "Too much stress. Too much rich food. The doctor said I need to stick to bland stuff for a while."

His face paled, a flicker of genuine concern replacing his forced cheer. "Gastritis? Why didn't you tell me? Katelyn, why do you always hide these things from me?" His voice rose, tinged with accusation.

I met his gaze, a cold, hard glint in my eyes. "You said you were busy, Graham. You said you didn't want to be bothered." The words were a direct hit, a reminder of his dismissiveness.

He flinched. "I... I'm sorry. I really am. I was just so caught up..." He trailed off, his excuses sounding hollow even to him. "It won't happen again. I promise."

"It's fine," I said, cutting him off. "It's in the past." My tone made it clear that "past" meant both the gastritis and us.

We were almost out the hospital doors when a familiar, shrill voice cut through the air. "Graham! There you are!"

Britney.

She was standing next to Graham's sleek black car, her hands on the hood, striking a pose. "Look, Katelyn! Isn't it just gorgeous? I helped Graham pick it out. I have exquisite taste, don't I?" She beamed at me, a triumphant glint in her innocent eyes.

Graham's face, which had just started to relax, tightened instantly. "Britney, what are you doing here?" His voice was strained, laced with barely concealed irritation.

She pouted, her lower lip trembling. "I was worried about you! You left so suddenly last night. And I woke up so cold without my teddy bear. I accidentally left my favorite silk nightgown at your place, too. I was hoping to pick it up." The last sentence hung in the air, a thinly veiled allusion to her spending the night at his apartment.

Graham's eyes widened in horror. He shot me a frantic, desperate look, his face draining of color. "Britney, shut up!" he hissed, his voice low and furious.

Britney, feigning innocence, clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh! My bad! Did I say that out loud? So sorry, Katelyn! I'm just so clumsy with my words sometimes." Her apology was a transparent performance, a deliberate jab.

Graham pulled me closer, his arm around my shoulders. "Katelyn, it's not what it sounds like. She just... she's dramatic. She left her... jacket at my place, that's all. She needed somewhere to stay, a friend helping a friend." His voice was weak, his eyes pleading with me to believe his threadbare lie. He was practically begging.

I looked at him, then at Britney, then back at him. My gaze was calm, unwavering. "It's fine, Graham," I said, my voice flat. "It doesn't matter anymore."

His eyes widened in surprise. That was not the reaction he had expected. He had expected anger. Tears. A fight. Something. Not this cold, quiet acceptance.

"I think you should go back to Britney, Graham," I said, my voice detached. "She clearly needs you more. I'll just get a cab back to the hotel."

I hailed a passing black cab, but before I could open the door, Graham lunged forward, grabbing my arm. He yanked me away from the cab, shoving me into the passenger seat of his own car. My phone, still in my hand, flew from my grasp, clattering onto the pavement. I didn't even try to pick it up.

He slammed the door shut, then jumped into the driver's seat, revving the engine. The car lurched forward, tires squealing, speeding down the street at a terrifying pace. My heart didn't even pound. I felt nothing. Just a hollow, chilling emptiness. His desperation, his rage, his reckless driving-it was all a blur. It meant nothing to me anymore.

He slammed on the brakes, the car skidding to a halt. He turned to me, his face contorted with anger, his eyes blazing. "Are you trying to kill me, Katelyn? Are you trying to make me crazy?" he shouted, his voice cracking with emotion.

A tear, hot and unexpected, pricked my eye. I fought it back, refusing to let him see any vulnerability. I reached for the door handle, ready to jump out, even if it meant running into traffic.

But he grabbed my wrist, pulling me back. He leaned over, his face close to mine, his eyes desperate. He tried to kiss me. His lips, once so comforting, now felt alien, almost repulsive.

I turned my head, pulling away. It was an instinctual recoil, a visceral rejection. His lips landed on my cheek, then on my jaw, before he finally pulled back, his eyes wide with shock. He froze, clearly stunned by my refusal. I had never, ever refused him before.

I used his moment of stunned disbelief to yank my hand free. I scrambled out of the car, slamming the door shut. Just then, my phone, still lying on the pavement where it had fallen, buzzed. A text message notification flashed across the screen.

Graham's eyes, still wide with shock, followed my gaze. He saw the brightly lit screen. He saw the message, a notification from my university. My international exchange student application.

His eyes widened even further, a slow dawning of realization. His grip tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.