C30 - A hurt smile.

“Thanks for bringing Michael here, Ethan,” Ally said when Ethan entered her room after Michael had left.

“He’s just the first of many I’ll be bringing here for you,” Ethan replied, taking a seat on a chair beside her bed. She was sitting on the side of the bed, so they faced each other directly. Since her bed was higher, she was slightly higher than Ethan. “Except for Kattie, I’m still looking for her.”

She chuckled softly. Yes, she was no longer angry that he was back. It seemed she was even growing accustomed to it. When he arrived late that day, she felt sad thinking he might not come. But it turned out he had brought her friend along.

“Thank you,” she said again. “Honestly, I didn’t expect to see even one of you before I’m gone. I thought I would just die a lonely death.”

“There you go again, Allison.” Ethan sighed and took her hands, then held her gaze with his intense stare. “Can we make a deal?”

“Hmn?” she replied, seeming to drown in his gaze. She felt lost in his eyes, just a