Chapter 119: Evan

Friday. Hospital. Austin, Texas.

EVAN WATCHED A FAT tear roll down Felecia's cheek. Her dark eyes were tortured.

He hadn't meant to tell her that. Oh, he knew how he felt about her. Maybe he'd always known, but hadn't accepted it.

Of all the people in all the world, he'd found the one he clicked with. The one who seemed to know him better than anyone.

"You can't. You can't love me." Her voice cracked as she spoke.

He reached over for the cup of ice the nurse had begun switching out when they said she might start to wake up.

"Here, they won't give you water or food for a while, but you can have ice. Your throat has to hurt."

"Evan, you can't love me."

"Why not?" He set the ice in an empty paper cup.

"You just can't." More tears welled up in her eyes. He hated them, but he wasn't going to take his words back.

"I love you. You can't change that. You don't have to love me back-"