Chapter 54

• "Aren't you going to talk?"
• I took a deep breath and turned to face him. It's been almost ten minutes since we went up here on the hospital's rooftop. I invited him here so we can talk peacefully; that's what I believe. I could feel the wind brushing lightly against my skin, carrying the faint smell of antiseptic from the hospital below. The city hummed in the distance, but up here, on this quiet terrace, everything seemed suspended, as though time had slowed down just for us. My hands fidgeted nervously with the edges of my shirt as I prepared myself for the confrontation I had both dreaded and longed for.
• "I don't plan to hide them from you," I began. I felt a weight lift slightly from my chest as the words left my lips, but at the same time, a fresh wave of anxiety rolled through me. Would he believe me? Would he rage at me more than he already had?