The Secret Life of Emily Blu

Chapter Thirty-Nine

There's a knock on my hospital door and Jack pokes his head into the room. "Can I come in?"

"Of course!" Joanne says, hopping up from the seat by my bed. "I figure the two of you probably have some things to talk about." She quickly leaves the room.

Jack takes the seat Joanne just left and offers me a small smile. "How are you feeling?"

I shrug. "I don't know, honestly, but my therapist says that's normal for a situation like this."

"You're safe."

I nod. "I'm safe." I pause before asking, "How'd you find me? Joanne told me it was you who tipped off Agent James."

"Jonas."

"What?"

"Jonas told me. Or didn't tell me."

I stare at Jack, sure I've heard him wrong. "Jonas? The guy I permanently injured?"

"The one and only."
"What happened?"

"He came up to me at lunch and told me that his mom's new boyfriend was in town, and he seemed weirdly obsessed with you. Apparently, Jonas found a picture from homecoming of you two in the boyfriend's wallet and his face was x'd out and it just seemed really weird. You were already missing for a day at that point, and when I asked what the new boyfriend's name was, he said Marcus. It didn't take a rocket scientist to put all the pieces together."

"Maybe I owe him an apology," I muse.

"Probably not. Doing one good thing doesn't make up for all the other shitty stuff he's done."

"I suppose not."

"So, what happens now?"

I turn to him with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"You no longer have to be Emily anymore. Does that mean you go back to being Sarah?"

"I guess. The plan is for me to return to LA. My agency has already been contacted. I think Joanne is going to stay on as my legal guardian for the next couple of months until I'm 18, but after that I'm on my own."

Jack's frowning by the time I'm finished. After a moment he asks, "So this is goodbye?"

"I think it is," I say slowly. I can't stand to see the hurt on his face, so I look away.

"I'm happy you're getting your life back," Jack says, and it only sounds a little bitter to my ears, but then again, I could just be making that up.

"Me too."

"I enjoyed getting to know you."
I turn to look at him and I give him a small smile. "Thanks for being my friend."

"It was my pleasure." His smile doesn't quite meet his eyes. "I think I need to get going, though. My mom's pissed I ran into the house before Agent James could stop me."
Before I can say anything he stands, and I watch him walk out of the room and out of my life for the last time.

My heart only breaks a little.