Chapter 3

The officers took me to a nearby hospital to have my wounds treated.

My knees and forearms were badly scraped, but while the doctor disinfected and bandaged them, I didn't feel any pain. Something inside me had gone completely numb.

At three in the morning, the officers brought me back to the apartment.

I dragged my heavy legs out of the elevator. When I pushed the front door open, the living room was dead silent, with only faint moonlight filtering in.

Out of habit, I reached for the motion-sensor night-light in the entryway.

Lucas had installed it especially for me. Whenever it sensed footsteps, it gave off a warm yellow glow.

But tonight, the light didn't come on.

Thinking the power was out, I took out my cane and felt my way forward from memory. I had just reached the middle of the living room when my foot came down on something smooth and hard.

The floor was covered in glass marbles.

Before I could react, my feet slid out from under me and I fell hard onto my back. My injured arm slammed against the floor. The wound split open, and blood soaked through the gauze.

I sucked in a sharp breath and curled up on the floor, unable to get up for a long time.

With a snap, the ceiling light in the living room came on.

The harsh glare forced my eyes shut, and tears kept streaming out.

"Oh no, Lena, are you okay?"

Vanessa's voice came from beside the couch.

I forced my eyes open. Once they adjusted to the light, I saw that she was wearing Lucas's shirt and holding the motion-sensor night-light, its bulb removed.

Lucas came out of the bathroom, his hair still dripping. When he saw me lying in a pool of blood, his face changed. He strode over and picked me up.

"How did this happen?"

He set me on the couch and turned to get the first-aid kit.

Vanessa leaned in, the picture of innocence.

"Luke, I just thought Lena depends on the night-light too much. She'll never get over her night blindness that way. I put down a few obstacles to give her some exposure therapy. How was I supposed to know she'd walk in without even turning on the light?"

Lucas brought over the first-aid kit, cut away the bloodstained gauze, and gently wiped the blood from around the wound.

"That must have hurt," he scolded in a low voice. "Why didn't you turn on the main light first?"

I looked at his face, so close to mine, and all I felt was how absurd it was.

"Lucas, a floor covered in glass marbles, and that's exposure therapy?"

I looked at him coldly.

"If I'd broken my neck, would you be praising her for a job well done too?"

Lucas stopped mid-motion and sighed.

"Lennie, don't put it so harshly. Nessa's method was a little rough, but she meant well."

Vanessa's eyes went red.

"Luke, is Lena blaming me? I'll leave right now. I shouldn't have stayed the night at your place."

She turned to go, but her steps were very slow.

Lucas immediately caught her wrist.

"Lena, can't you just cut her a little slack?"

"What she did back then was wrong, but she suffered for three years abroad, and now she only wants to make it up to you. Why are you always so hostile toward her?"

I looked at their joined hands, and my stomach churned.

So in Lucas's eyes, Vanessa's pranks, the ones that had nearly cost me my life, were all her way of making amends.

And I, the victim, had somehow become the unreasonable one.

I yanked my hand back.

"Since you think she's so wonderful, keep her around and let her make amends at her own pace."

I pushed myself up off the couch and turned toward the bedroom.

Behind me came Lucas's sigh.

"Lennie, calm down. We'll have a proper talk tomorrow."