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Three

"Shh, everything's okay," Chance strokes my waist with his thumb, trying to comfort me since he doesn't know that I can't feel anything. His other arm is wrapped around my shoulders. He's pulled me up, into his embrace, and I didn't fight him.

"N-no, n-nothing's o-okay, y-you l-liar," I stutter, tears pouring down my face, dripping onto his shirt. He doesn't seem to mind, and I want to clean it up, but I'm still shaking and hyperventilating.

"Shh, okay, okay, I'm lying," Chance wipes away my tears. "You know, once upon a time I liked, no, loved this girl. She was the most beautiful person ever, but because of some stupid people's words she didn't think so.

"And guess what? She went to try out this thing, the same thing that Troy and Shaylee had used." Chance's thumb strokes a rhythmic pattern on my waist. Well, I see it stroking a rhythmic pattern.

I whimper, and Chance gently presses a kiss to my forehead. I hate it that I can't feel his lips on my skin. I miss him. I miss Chance and his playful remarks, and his beautiful smiles, and his warm care and concern.

For me.

"Anyway, so she became someone else. It was scary, you know, how she was herself but not really her at the same time.

"She found herself more beautiful than her true self, without that mask, and that disgusted me. I still loved her, though, but then she changed. Into a whiny, selfish brat.

"I was awfully shocked, because I didn't recognize her anymore. And I started to hate her, because she stole the girl I had loved my whole life.

"So I started to treat her badly, kicking her around like a broken doll. She always cried, I knew, but she didn't change. She didn't get the message.

"Eventually, to not hurt her anymore because my girl was still there, somewhere inside that monster, I left."

My breathing finally returns to normal as I stare into Chance's eyes. What? No, that wasn't what happened!

Or was it? I've always only knew my side of the story...was that why Chance left? Because of me?

"And what happened to her after?" I whisper.

Chance looks down at me. "Something happened. She's herself again, but she's not happy. And I'm not going to push her on the reason, because I don't want to let her drift away, and I don't deserve the chance to, and I know she'll tell me if she wants to."

More tears fill my eyes. "But you still love her."

Chance stares at me, his eyes overflowing with emotion. "I..."

I pull back from him, turning away. Who am I to ask that question? I begin to walk towards the dining room, swiping at my eyes.

I pull out my chair at the table where everyone is eating, and dig into the mashed potatoes and mushroom soup and roasted chicken drizzled with honey.

All through dinner, I feel Chance staring at me. I try to ignore him, and poke at my food instead, chewing to give an excuse for not participating in the lovely chatter. Chance joins in, laughing with the others, but his eyes are glued to my face.

-------------------------------------------------

After dinner, we sit in the living room just before we go to finish up the corn chips that Sharlynn re-heated in the oven.

"So, Chance, how are you going to get home?" Shaylee asks.

"Um, Sharlynn says I can stay here until my house is safe for usage. My belongings are in my pod."