Chapter 2

Hannah's POV

The next morning, my fever had only just dropped to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit when Jacob knocked on the door. He set a glass of hot milk on the table, talking to me like nothing had happened.

"Get changed. I'll take you to the hospital."

I guess that was his way of making it up to me. Before, whenever he gave in a little, I'd find some reason to forgive him.

I picked up my jacket. Before I could leave, Susie came out of the next room, already dressed in white cycling clothes with her helmet tucked under her arm.

She said, "Jacob, the bikes are here. But I couldn't breathe properly last night. Andy said it isn't safe for me to ride alone."

Jacob didn't even hesitate. "I'll go with you."

Then he remembered that I was still in the room. He said, "Hannah, the hospital is just nearby. Take a cab."

I asked, "Didn't you say you'd take me there?"

"Change of plans." Jacob sounded impatient. "Susie can't handle a long ride. What if something happens to her halfway there?"

Susie immediately lowered her head. "Forget it. I don't want to go anymore. Hannah's health is more important."

Even though she said that, she didn't take off her cycling gear. If anything, she hugged her helmet tighter.

Andy leaned against the doorway and urged them on. "The bikes are charged by the hour. You'll just waste all of our money by dragging this out."

Jacob took the helmet from Susie and helped her put it on. "Let's go."

Then he turned toward me. "Text me when you're done. I'll come get you after the ride."

I closed the door. "No need."

The hallway went quiet. Then the three of them went downstairs, laughing and talking.

I went to the hospital alone.

The doctor looked pretty grim after seeing my test results. "It's acute bronchitis. You had a high fever and still went out to the lake. Do you really not care about your health?"

I was on an IV for two hours. My phone didn't ring once. There were no calls or texts asking how I was.

Susie posted a picture on her Instagram. She was leaning on Jacob's back, completely wiped out from the ride. Beside her, Andy held out a bottle of water with a knowing grin.

The caption read, "Some people say I'm a hassle, but their actions say otherwise."

I noticed Jacob had liked the post, so I liked it too, but the post disappeared less than 30 seconds later.

Susie messaged me right away. "Hannah, don't get the wrong idea. I twisted my ankle, so Jacob had to carry me."

I didn't reply.

When I got back to the hotel, I went to the front desk and asked about checking out early. The staff member looked up my information, then seemed to remember something. She went over to a cabinet and pulled out a brown paper bag.

"Mr. Pratt stayed here about six months ago. He did a photoshoot while he was here, but he never came back for the photos. You're his girlfriend, right? Could you take them back to him?"

I paused.

There were more than 20 photos inside, all taken during winter at the snow-covered Crescent Lake. Susie wore a red coat and a birthday hat, leaning against Jacob as he fixed her scarf with one arm around her waist.

Andy stood beside them with a champagne glass. He looked fine. There was no sign he'd been hurt.

The date on the bottom corner was December 24.

It was also the day my father, Lionel Burke, had his surgery six months ago.

Jacob had promised to stay with me that day. But sometime before dawn, he suddenly called and said Andy had gotten into an accident while drunk driving, so he had to go deal with it. Andy even sent me a picture of blood running down his forehead.

I believed them.

I was outside the operating room all night, and when Dad finally came out, my legs nearly gave out. I leaned against the wall and called Jacob, but he didn't pick up.

Half an hour later, he replied, "It's noisy here at the hospital. I didn't hear the phone ring."

Looking back, I had no idea where that photo of Andy's injury had even come from.

He hadn't even gotten into an accident, Jacob hadn't been at the hospital, and even Susie's excuse of staying with her sick grandmother had been a lie. The three of them had been thousands of miles away celebrating Susie's birthday, while I'd sat outside the operating room, feeling lucky that I had people I could trust.

I put the photos back into the paper bag. On the back of the last one, there was a handwritten message by the photographer.

"Wishing you and your girlfriend a lifetime of love, Mr. Pratt. May you watch every sunset together from now on."

So six months ago, even a stranger thought they were a couple. I was the only one in the dark.

They came back that evening, with Susie still on Jacob's back. Her white sneakers were spotless. She didn't look like she'd twisted her ankle at all. Andy came in behind them, saying he was hungry.

I asked, "Andy, didn't that car accident you were in six months ago leave a scar on your forehead?"

Andy's smile froze for a second, and he instinctively touched his forehead. "It healed a long time ago. Why are you suddenly asking about it?"

My voice was calm. "It just crossed my mind."

Andy avoided my gaze and looked down as he took off his shoes. "I wasn't hurt badly. It just looked worse than it was."

Jacob cut in, "That was ages ago. Why are you still asking about it?"

Susie slipped her arm through mine. "Hannah, were you thinking about the day Mr. Burke had his surgery again? Jacob felt so bad that he couldn't be there for you."

She sounded sincere, and the concern in her eyes looked convincing.

I looked at Susie, the woman I'd known for ten years, and smiled. "You're right. It's all in the past."

After I got back to my room, I shoved the brown paper bag into the bottom of my suitcase.

The sunset wasn't the only thing they'd lied to me about. Six months ago, they'd already taken the same side. I was the outsider they were all wary of.