"Sit in a car? Hold hands? Go to the Met? What innocent thing should we abstain ourselves from doing?"

She looked at me. "Punch people and pretend it's nothing. Ask to hold my hand and pretend it's innocent. Look at me like that and pretend it's just part of your day. Like I'm just normal, and everything surrounding us isn't the truth. You can't just wish away reality because it's inconvenient."

"I'm going to ignore the fact that you used "just" in my presence, and challenge your argument by asking what part of our reality is inconvenient?"

Her eyes flared, and then she waved her hand across herself. "Me. I am an inconvenient reality."

"You know what I think you are?" I leaned closer. "I think you're beautiful."

"Then you're a man who likes to waste his thoughts."

I continued, "That night on stage in Noelle's cafe-you were the most beautiful little thing I had ever seen. An inconvenience? Yes, you are that. Because I want to stop thinking about you, but I can't. That is incredibly inconvenient to me as a third year med student. But as a man? As a man it is only inconvenient because you keep running away from me, and I don't have a clue as to why."

"The problem and the answer are the same." She said. "You're a student and I'm your subject. I can't tell you why I have to stay away from you, because it's your assignment to figure me out. I only wish you would listen to the little voice inside of yourself that I know is smart enough to see me for what I am. Think about it, Callum. I'm your differential. There is something so tragically wrong with me medically that my father has a room full of students studying my case. That's what you want for yourself? Someone who isn't promised tomorrow? Someone who can't even walk home with you because it's too hot outside today?" She turned away. "I'm not normal. You know that much. Isn't it enough?"

"So," I said, "this is to spare from being hurt. Am I following correctly?"

"If I'm any kind of decent human being shouldn't I be trying to do that?"

"Yes." I reached for her hand. "But you're going about it completely wrong."

"What's the right way then? Tell me."

"You already know the answer. You said it a minute ago. We can't wish away an inconvenient reality. My reality, Everly Anne, is that I want to hold your hand and take you to the Met. It's inconvenient because I barely have time for one, let alone both, but that's the truth of my reality. So when you run away because of the truth of your reality, you're not saving me from anything."

"Not true," she said. "I am saving you from my father breaking every bone in your body when he finds out you want to take me to the Met. Oh and that whole pesky failing you out of med school thing."

"Not true," I mocked. "He let me walk you home yesterday."

"He had a speaking engagement in New Jersey and he was running late. You were better than sending me home alone in a cab."

When I didn't challenge her she added, "Do you really want to go to the Met with me?"

"No, not at all," I laughed.

Everly sighed, but then smiled despite herself. I slid my fingers slowly in and out of hers as I said, "But, I do want to know what it's like to wander around a little bit clueless with you."

She nodded. And after a moment said, "Where are you the most clueless?"

"If you keep letting me take you home, I'll show you some day."

Dr. Brighton parked his car at the curb. We silently watched him climb the stairs to their home, but I felt her fingers squeeze mine.

"I need to go," she said.

"Wait a second." I waited for her to look at me. "I lied to you a minute ago."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. The night at the cafe wasn't the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Do . . . do you know what is?"

"Your fist connecting to Logan's face?"

I smiled, lifting her fingers to kiss them once. "Watching you read to those kids, today."

Everly searched my face before she spoke. "You've run away from me too, you know."

"That is impossible. Believe me. I've tried."

Her eyes dimmed. "On theater night you left. Why were you so angry? Why didn't you stay when I asked you to stay? It was like you were so upset to see me in the cafe that night. Like I didn't even belong there."

I turned in my seat to face her better. "You thought I was mad at you?"

"Weren't you?"