Please, God, if there is one, let me go home. Renee is an amazing woman— she’s good looking, witty, charming… she’s too good for me.

Renee invited me over so we could work on a craft idea that we’ve been discussing, but as she sits close to me (too close)… hot glue strings on her hands, blonde hair haphazardly pulled back, paint on her clothes…

She looks divine.

“How are you doing over there?” She asks, without looking up from her painting.

My hands fly around my work area, trying to look busy. “We’re doing.”

She laughs softly to herself. “Thank you again for agreeing to help out,” her hazel eyes pierce my soul as she looks up. “Though I must admit, I didn’t invite you just for some arts and crafts.”

“Then— then why?” I manage to sputter. Smooth, Jade. Real smooth.

“Don’t get me wrong—“ she starts, “I do enjoy doing these types of projects with you.” Renee clears her throat, and looks away. Are her ears always that red?

“I enjoy doing a lot of th- things with you,” she finally continues. “I like walk- walking along the beach with you—“ her hands move all around, gesturing this way and that, “—gossiping about our coworkers.”

Oh no.

Please stop talking.

She continues to speak and gesture through a fit of nervous giggles, “I like going to the rich people mall with you just to- just to make fun of their stupidly expensive clothes.”

She inches closer to my workspace on the floor.

With a trembling out stretched hand, she reaches for my own. It’s easy to look down and see our matching nail sets. It would be easy to imagine that we are as good of a match as our nails.

“And… if I’m reading the situation right,” she breathes out, like she’s pushing the words out of her lungs, “so do you.”

Renee is right. I do enjoy all of that. I can sense what she’s about to say before she even takes in the air to say it:

“Would- would you want to be my girlfriend?”

I shut my eyes. Her face looks as if it was carved from a Greek sculpture. I can’t bear to see it anymore.

There’s nothing I want more than to be with her.

But saying ‘yes’… that’s something I will never be able to say to that question.

I pull my hand back as I stand up and turn around. My hands seem aimless, grabbing at my hair, my neck, my clothes. Anything to fill the other half that I’ve just ripped away. “Renee—“

“It’s ok,” she interrupts. “I understand.”

I hear her stand as I whirl around to face her. “No, trust me, you don’t.”

Her eyebrows furrow like they always do when something confuses her. “You can tell me straight up, my feelings won’t be hurt,” she comforts.

I can’t tell her ‘straight up’. I can’t tell anyone. No one can ever understand. “I need to go.”

Shoving my things into my bag, I rush out of the door as fast as I can. Leaving her behind. Like I have to leave everyone behind.

If she knew who I really am, she’d be disgusted. She would scorn me.

There’s only one option left.

I run to my car, fumbling for the ignition, and take off like a bullet train to get back to my apartment. I race up the stairs to grab my suitcase.

Packing everything of value I can as tightly as I can into the suitcase, my gears start turning. I need a way to disappear.

It’s not the first time I’ve done it.

Once everything has been packed, I take out a knife, specifically I took from my bitch of a neighbor, carefully. With gloves. I handle it with such care, I can’t mess with the DNA.

I grab the bags of my own blood from my fridge and dip the blade of the knife in in before throwing it on the floor.

Remembering my forensics class, my splatter the bag of blood in such a way so it looks like it came straight from my body.

I grab the journal that accounts for all my crimes, the one where I’ve written in a style and font that is a carbon copy of my neighbor’s. I sneak in through the window while he sleeps, and slip the journal in one of his drawers.

Once I’m out of his house, I grab a black hoodie and do funky makeup as fast as I can to make me look as different as I can.

I’m running out of time. It’s 2am, and I need to be clear out of town.

I leave my apartment door cracked as I leave and book it as fast as I can till I find a car several streets down that I can Hotwire.

One could say that me trying to make amends went well— too well.

I made the sister of a girl I killed years ago fall in love with me.

I loved him He didn’t love me back I hated him He didn’t seem to care I cried for him And he was so happy to see me cry I hated it I really did He loved it He really did One day I saw him with someone new So I decided to get payback That was the last he was ever seen Talking on the news they would never know it was me A couple days later I went to his new girlfriends house I told her that I was sorry for her loss and I was his ex She liked me and told me the story Then I decided to give her a present When she opened it It was two earmuffs They belonged to your boyfriend I said Aw that’s so sweet but when she took a closer look at them She realized their weren’t polka dotted They were covered in

Blood

“I love you.”

The words hit me like a train.  I felt my heart flutter.  I felt my face grow warm.  I’d always imagined this moment, since I met him during Freshman orientation at college.  He was hot, charming, a little rough on the edges, but who wasn’t.  Even so, he never showed even a hint that he was interested in me.  We never even hung out outside of class.  We didn’t run in the same circles.  So despite my heart doing flips in my chest, all that came out of my mouth was “Why…why are you telling me this.”

“Because its the way I feel for you.”  Brent leaned in toward me.  I pressed my body further against the wall he had cornered me in.  

It was a warm May night.  We had been at the same party.  He must have found me when I was stepping outside to take a hit or two from my vape pen to chase the liquor.  He placed his arm in front of me and leaned his tone frame into me.  

I could smell the rum on his breath as he spoke. “I…when I think about you, Rose, I—something takes over me and I can’t think of anyone else.”

My face was flushed and I let out gasping breaths, thinking of something to say.  My head was in a tailspin.  “We…you…I mean we hardly know each other.”

“Who needs to know another when love is all that matters.  I feel strongly about you.”

A group of men passed us on our right, heading back into the party in the small brick house.  The music was softly blaring from within mixed with the sound of drunk revelers butchering the lyrics loudly.  Brent’s eyes dug into the men as they passed.  I furrowed my brows.  “I…I don’t know what to say,” I finally blurted out.

“What?”  Brent’s face turned, a look of hurt and confusion evident in his expression, “do you not feel the same?  Do you not love me too?”

“I just…this is moving so fast.  Like I said, we hardly talk.  You ignored me completely for three years and now?  Why now?”

He crossed his arms.  Something flickered in his eyes.  His words turned colder.  “Because I can’t stand it, Rose.  Can’t stand when someone glances at you, takes your attention.”

I took a step back and he took one toward me.  

“I can’t stand when men flirt with you, get close to you, make you theirs by taking up every minute of your time.  It’s incessant.  Like a wall I can’t breach.”

“I…I should go.”  I started away, heading into an alleyway between buildings.  He gave chase.  My head was swimming.  Maybe from the alcohol, maybe from trying to decide if I’d kiss him or run from him.  

“You never let me get close, Rose.  You and that fucking tool.”

I turned on heel.  “Who?  Tyler?”

“That ugly clumsy idiot who clings to your side.”

I felt my flushed face turn red with anger as I shouted, “That’s my best friend you’re talking about, asshole.”

Brent halted his approach, taken aback from my tone.  And then he started laughing.  “I won’t let him take you from me.”

Something deep inside me recoiled from him.  I kept taking instinctive steps away from him, not noticing how deep I was going into the allway, away from other people, possible witnesses.  I was such an idiot, I should have just went back into the party.  “He’s not taking me from anyone—he’s just my friend.  We’ve known each other since elementary school.”

“Well, he wont be my competition anymore.  I wont let anyone come in between us, my love.”

My heart started thumping against my chest and I balled my hands into fists.  “Wh-what are you talking about.”

“I’m disposed of him.  He wont be keeping us from each other anymore.”

“D-disposed?”  My stomach became watery and I felt my throat close up.

“I killed him.”  Brent smiled.  “And the dead can’t love.”

He looks into my face, his arms around me… we had been friends for years, but never confessed affection. He hugged me like he’d never let me go, it felt warmer with him, it felt better with him.

He slid his thumb across my face, drying my tears, he softly kissed me on the nose, and I got teary eyed.

“I love you Jane.”

“I-I love you too John.”

I couldn’t believe it…. I just confessed my love for someone, not only that, but I got it back… I was so in love until..

“I have to confess something.”

“What dearest?”

“I was the one that murdered your neighbor.”

“W-what?!?”

“Don’t go Jane please!”

“NO”

“COME BACK”

“NEVER”

I clocked out of work early, excited to see the woman I just married months before. We had just got off our honeymoon and I got some flowers on the way home. “Is this for Isabela?” The woman at the register looked at me and smiled like she knew something I did not. “Umm yea.. I’m sorry do I know you? I didn’t see you at our wedding?” She laughed. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard. I winced and she composed herself. “Yea I know her best friend and they couldn’t stop talking about all day today” I sighed. Her best friend was known to gossip and decided to talk about about this to my wife later. I checked the time on my watch. “Well nice seeing you gotta go home to my wife” I walked almost jogged to my car, happy I could finally say that. Blasted some music in my Bluetooth headphones and walked in the door. I saw my wife’s lifeless body on the kitchen floor and saw the cashier from before “ you told me to prove to you that I love you the night you got married..” she cocked her head and smiled and started to giggle, clearly unhinged. I pointed her to the back door “leave now, we can’t be found out and I have an alibi but it can’t be you if you’re here” I was clearly frustrated and pissed bc this woman was impulsive…again. I screamed bloody murder and pulled the gun out my pocket… and shot her in the face and waited for the sirens to come. And was bawling over the woman who I called my wife earlier. I didn’t love her. I knew she was dirty rich and by playing good boy was easy to her parents. Surprisingly since she had a bad attitude and they desperately wanted status of having a perfect daughter who got married at a appropriate age and not knocked up before then. The police knocked and I ran over to them and saw the neighbor speaking with one of the officers. Looks like they were talking for awhile. I heard the words “he just walked in after being gone for hours and he didn’t seem to notice that I saw him, and that he didn’t use his keys to unlock his door. Just walked in his house without a care in the world and acting like he didn’t know his door was unlocked the whole time.” I stilled. My face paled. The officer before me didn’t seem to hear and patted my shoulder” hey it’s okay it’s just self defense, losing a wife is a very serious matter and I would say I’m sure she’s proud of you for avenging her” I looked up. And saw my dead wife’s father. He winked at me and whispered in my ear. “I know what you did and you executed it perfectly and that’s the type of commitment I need in my line of work, I’ll handle the accusations that the neighbor was trying to make while you’re in questioning” he patted my back and stood me up “This man is my son in law I’ll drive him to the station, and innocent until proven guilty. This is America and we should all treat this man as a citizen who is grieving for his wife” Papparazzi was going crazy, taking pictures and heightening his presence. He was trying to get in the political arena and this act of kindness to a grieving husband was good publicity. I bowed my head and kept my hands to my sides clutching my shirt. Showing I’m distraught and heartbroken. I was giddy and excited inside and the hard part wasn’t even done yet. The biggest part of the plan hasn’t even started

Love drove me to a crime and I know your gonna say there no place or time that will make it okay!

She didn’t wanna stay in pain she wished each day it would go away .

They signed her a will as they passed her more pills .

To numb the pain to reduce the strain on her brain .

She wanted peace so that day was her release !

She was a dancer battling stage 4 cancer.

Would you want to be in persistent pain ?

Am I ashamed ; yes I am to blame , I put her wishes for peace in my own hands I don’t need you to understand .

She now at rest it’s for the best !

I’ll pay the crime , I’ll do the time cause now I know she’s fine .

“I promise to love you always and always listen to everything you say.” I didn’t think my day would end with my coworker confessing her feelings for me. “I’m much prettier than her; why don’t you date me instead?” Jenny muttered as she glared at Ana with a menacing look. “Because I love her”. -

“Well, love, aren’t you full of yourself having a dream like that?” teased Ana “… Is there something you want to tell me?” She joked, but I knew she was slightly serious. “No, she’s a nice girl, but there’s always been something about her that makes me uncomfortable.” I tried to hide the concern in my voice, but Ana noticed my uneasiness. “I’ve met Jenny before, and she seems like a nice girl; she was very timid when we greeted each other.” She stroked my sweaty head as we lay in bed with my head on her chest as I told her about my strange dream. “We should hurry up, or we’ll be late for our classes; you don’t have any in the afternoon, right?” Her face lit up, expecting a response . “I guess it’s been a while since we’ve gone on a date. “I can’t today, but I have the day off tomorrow since I changed today’s shifts with tomorrow; Alice practically begged me to switch with her.” “I guess tomorrow will be better since you’ll spend more time with me, but it’s strange that Alice did that, considering tomorrow is the only day she can visit her parents, and she hasn’t answered my calls or texts since yesterday.” Her brows furrowed as she showed concern for her best friend. “You should call her,” I murmured while kissing her neck. I hugged her from behind while she was doing her makeup. “Stop! I’m in a hurry; go put on clothes, or we’ll be late!” She smacked me as she hurried. I felt tired, but I smiled, recalling last night’s events. We shouldn’t have gone all out last night since I have work after Mr.Smith’s class. I groaned, remembering that I had my two longest classes that day. After fighting to stay awake, classes were finally over, and tomorrow’s date with my beloved was the only thing keeping me going. The closer I got to my job, the bad feeling from this morning consumed my body. Once I got there, I tried to ignore it as I greeted my coworkers; when I got to Jenny, I let out a nervous chuckle. “Hi, Jenny.” She smiled sweetly as she greeted me. Hey there, what are you doing here?” I didn’t want to speak with her, but I didn’t want to start any problems. “Oh, well… Alice suddenly wanted to switch days. It sounded urgent, so I did.” Her smile got bigger. “I see. Are you going to keep that schedule?” Please stop talking.” No, I have long classes in the morning, and working in the afternoon is too taxing.” Her wide grin disappeared in a fraction of a second and appeared just as fast.” Well, that’s too bad. I was looking forward to finally working together with you every day.” I think I imagined it, right? Maybe I’m overthinking things because of my dream. “Well, we work together almost all other days. Besides, I just switched my day off, so what’s the difference?” Her smile lessened when I said this.” Today is the only day I work with Alicia, as she usually has the morning shift, and I don’t like her. She always bothers you. It’s not like she’s your girlfriend, right?” her face went dark as she said this.”No, she’s just a good friend of many years.” Her face relaxed, and she smiled again. “Great!” I got tired of talking with her, so I left because she was starting to freak me out. During my shift, I tried to avoid her the best I could until it was finally the end of the day. We closed down and started to clean up; I just needed to finish wiping the tables I was in charge of to go home. On my way out, Jenny stopped me. “I need to talk with you.” she was flustered, twirling her hair while looking at me with a strange expression. “What of?” Man, I just want to head home to my sweet Ana. “Well..” she stammered, “ I noticed how you’re always nervous around me and…” Yeah because you creep me out.”I’m not shy like you, so I’ll do the work for you. I’m not judging you, but I can’t stand it anymore. I have no more patience left.” Now, what the hell is she on about? “Do you want to marry me? I know you want me just as much as I want you; Alicia can’t come between us anymore.” What the f**k!?!? “What are you talking about? And what does that have to do with Alicia?” “She’s always hovering around you, trying to get between us.” Between us? “There is nothing ‘between’ us! You’re crazy! I don't even like being anywhere near you!” Her eyes widened, “what?” a tear Slowly, a tear slowly slid down her cheek. “You’re lying; you’re always smiling at me! And I always catch you looking at me!” I got irritated at that point. “I was just being nice, and I like to know where you are so that I can avoid you!” She was already breathing heavily at this point. “ No, you can’t say that; I even got rid of her for us! Please say you take it back. I promise to love you always and always listen to everything you say.” chills ran down my spine. ‘Did she hurt Alicia?’ Panic filled my already stressed-out body. ‘wait, she just said the exact words she had said in my dream.’ I felt my phone vibrate in my hand, and Ana’s name was displayed on the screen. I tried to get away from Jenny to answer. Jenny started following me, but I locked myself in the manager’s office. When I answered, Ana’s voice was frantic. “Love, please come home right now.” She said in between sobs. “Baby, what happened? Please calm down; I’ll head to you right now!.” She took a second to calm down enough to speak. “It’s Alicia, she wasn’t picking up my calls or responding to my messages, so I went to her house… she.. Sh.. she. There was blood… blood everywhere” Ana couldn’t stop stuttering and stammering her words. Jenny was looking towards me through the window in the manager’s office. She was calm, while I was seething in anger realizing what she had done. “Wait for me baby, tell the police to be ready for an arrest.” “Wait,what do you mean?...” I hung up before she could finish. I came out of the office, God knows how much I wanted to hurt that woman in front of me. I tried to hide my disgust. “ You know what Jenny? You’re right. Why don’t I take you somewhere?.” She smiled but seemed suspicious. “Where?” “It’s a surprise” As soon as we both were inside the car, I slammed my foot on the gas pedal and sped off. Jenny seemed scared as she saw I missed a red light. Alicia’s apartment was close so when the blue and red lights came into sight Jenny finally realized what I was doing. When the car finally stopped she tried to run away, I yelled at the officer’s “She confessed to me, I have video proof!!” I was glad I remembered the caffe had cameras with sound. The cops quickly chased Jenny down, I immediately went to my Ana, we ran into each other’s arms and mourned our beloved friend.

“I… I love you, Hal. I will always love you. I loved you ever since I met you.” Hallie, sitting on the boardwalk beside Madison, looked up. “I can’t believe that the feeling is mutual…” she smiled sweetly. “I love you too, Madison.” “So what happens now? The Captial will never accept us, and we’ll be forced to marry boys we don’t care about.” Madison looked sadly at the water shimmering below them, glowing with the moonlight. She’d hoped to acheive something with her confession. Now the words had left her mouth. She no longer felt like she was holding in a growing tide, always pushing and splashing against the sides when she was with Hallie, but in releasing it, she was drowning in the worry someone would find out, and she would be condemned for loving a girl. There was silence. Then Hallie said, “I haven’t been completely honest with you about my heritage, Maddy. I know a way for us to be together… if you can bound old wounds.” “Wh-what do you mean?” Madison’s heart beat faster, both panicked and hopeful at once. “I’m part of rebellion 13. If we succeed in our mission, equity will happen for both genders, and we can be together, forever. But… we have to overthrow the emperor. And I’ve stolen things, Maddy. I want you to know that. But it was small stuff- I promise. Just food.” Madison was more focused about the first thing that came out of Hallie’s mouth. She stood up suddenly, her chest exploding. Weeks of trust and love for Hal built up now crashed down, the rubble leaving her with only mistrust. Clenching her fists, she struggled to push her next words out. “I can’t believe you just said that, Hallie. Really? After all we’ve been through? Now you spring this on me?? I thought you would… I can’t forgive your stupid rebels. They killed my mom. They killed my sister. The emperor didn’t. That’s why.” Hot, furious tears clouding her vision, she turned on her heel and started to walk away. “Maddy, wait! Please!” Madison took a few more steps before turning. “What.” “I’m sorry! Please let me explain.” “Um, sure, but it won’t change anything. Maybe if you’re lucky I won’t turn you in.” “Maddy, the rebellion that your mother and sister were killed was not ours. That was rebellion 12.” “So?” “So we’re different people with different motives and different methods of getting to the public, ways that don’t include murder. Listen, Madison. We don’t kill. And it’s not like the emperor didn’t anything to help you when the murder happened.” “I don’t know if I can trust you.” Madison wanted to run, but her legs were too weak. She just wanted to crash to the ground and cry. She looked up at Hallie. “I want to trust you. But I can’t.” “Hey, it’s okay.” Hallie saw Madison crying and held out her arms. Knowing she shouldn’t, Madison couldn’t help but collapse on the ground and let Hallie wrap her arms around her. Hallie gently stroked her hair, and Madison let herself relax into Hal’s hug. “Please, trust me,” Hallie whispered, a plead. Madison looked at her, and she looked back. “I’ll try,” she whispered back. “I’ll join the rebellion and see if I can.” Hallie leaned in close and her lips brushed Madison’s, just a bit. Madison’s eyes grew wide and she blushed. Hallie leaned back. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.” She smiled mischivously. “Let me introduce you to the others.”

Title: Stolen Promises

Characters: • Leo: A poor but proud young man, deeply in love and willing to do whatever it takes. • Mia: The girl Leo loves, compassionate and understanding, with a grounded heart.

Scene: A park bench in the late evening. Leo stands in front of Mia, shifting nervously, hiding his hands in his coat pockets. Mia watches him, curious but unaware of his inner turmoil.

Leo: (deep breath, looking at her) Mia, there’s… something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time. I’m not great with words, but… I need you to hear me out.

Mia: (smiling softly) Leo, you know you can tell me anything. What’s on your mind?

Leo: (struggling, searching her eyes) I know I don’t have much… I’m just a guy trying to scrape by, but… (sighs) I’ve never felt this way about anyone. You mean everything to me. More than I can say. And… I love you.

Mia: (blushing, genuinely touched) Leo… I… I don’t know what to say. That’s… that’s all I’ve ever wanted to hear. I… I love you too.

[They share a warm, silent moment, each basking in the confession.]

Mia: (curiously) But… you seem nervous. Is there something else?

Leo: (fumbles with something in his pocket, clears his throat) I, uh… I wanted to make it official. (pauses) I wanted to give you a ring, something real. Something that could show you how serious I am. But…

Mia: (gentle smile) Leo, I don’t need a ring to know how you feel.

Leo: (hesitating) I know, but… I wanted it. For you. To show you I’m serious. And I couldn’t afford one, so I did something… stupid.

Mia: (frowning, concerned) Leo, what did you do?

Leo: (swallows hard, looking down) I… I stole it. From the jeweler on Main. I couldn’t take my eyes off it, imagining what it would be like to give it to you, to show you I could give you something more. But… I knew I couldn’t afford it. So, I took it.

Mia: (wide-eyed, shocked) You… you stole a ring? For me?

Leo: (ashamed but resolute) I know it’s wrong. I just wanted to feel like… like I was enough. Like I could give you something you deserved, even if it wasn’t much.

Mia: (quietly) Leo… you didn’t need to do that. You are enough.

Leo: (looks up at her, vulnerability in his eyes) I was ready to do anything to prove to you that I’d go to the ends of the earth for you, even if I had nothing.

Mia: (reaches out, taking his hand) You don’t need a ring to prove that. All I need is you. And besides… (smiles wryly) maybe the police aren’t really something I want us to add to our relationship.

Leo: (laughs nervously) Yeah… maybe I got a little carried away.

Mia: (soft smile) Let’s take it slow. We’ll build a future together. Honestly. And no more stealing.

Leo: (nodding, squeezing her hand) No more stealing. I promise.

[They walk off together, hand in hand, ready to face the future on a better path.]

[Fade to black.]

Title: Love & Confession

Characters: • Jamie: A warm, sincere person who finally decides to express their feelings. • Alex: Jamie’s friend, with whom they’ve shared a close, sometimes complicated bond.

Scene: A quiet café, dimly lit in the evening. Jamie and Alex sit across from each other at a small table. Jamie fidgets, clearly anxious.

Jamie: (nervously) Alex, there’s something I… I need to tell you. It’s… It’s been on my mind for so long, and I don’t know how to say it, but I can’t keep it in any longer.

Alex: (smiling, a bit surprised) Okay… I’m listening. You look like you’re about to explode.

Jamie: (laughs nervously) Yeah, maybe. (pauses, gathering courage) Look, Alex, I— (deep breath) I’m in love with you.

Alex: (stunned, blinking) Wait… what?

Jamie: I know. I know it’s a lot. We’ve been friends forever, and I’ve been terrified to say anything, but… it’s true. I love you. Not just as a friend. More than that.

Alex: (slowly smiles, looking touched) Jamie, I… I don’t even know what to say. I… I didn’t see this coming. (pauses, genuinely moved) But I think… I feel the same way.

Jamie: (relieved, smiling) You do?

Alex: (nodding) Yeah. I mean, maybe I didn’t know it until just now, but… Yeah, I do.

[They both sit in silence for a moment, grinning like fools, just taking in this new, tender moment.]

Alex: (after a moment) So… what now?

Jamie: (chuckling) I guess… we could, you know, go on a real date? See what happens?

Alex: (smiling) I’d like that.

[Pause. Jamie’s smile fades slightly, their expression growing serious.]

Jamie: But, Alex, there’s… There’s something else I need to tell you. It’s not easy for me to admit, especially after what I just said. But I… I want to be honest. Completely honest.

Alex: (concerned) Jamie, what is it?

Jamie: (looking away, voice barely a whisper) I did something. Something… bad.

Alex: (frowning) What do you mean?

Jamie: (quietly) I was desperate. It was a few months ago. I took some money. From the store. From the register.

Alex: (shocked) You… Jamie, are you serious?

Jamie: (voice trembling) I didn’t have a choice. I was behind on bills, and I was panicking. I thought… I thought I could pay it back before anyone noticed. But then I… didn’t.

Alex: (still processing) Why didn’t you tell me? You know I would have helped.

Jamie: (looking down) I was ashamed. I thought I could fix it on my own, but… then it just got worse. And now… (pauses) Now, I’m in over my head.

Alex: (reaches across the table, taking Jamie’s hand) We’ll figure this out. Together.

Jamie: (looking up, surprised) You… you’re not going to just walk away?

Alex: (smiling softly) I just told you I love you, didn’t I? We’ll face this. But you have to be honest with me from now on. No more hiding things. No more secrets.

Jamie: (nodding, relieved) No more secrets.

[They sit together, hands intertwined, uncertain of what lies ahead but facing it together.]

[Fade to black.]