(Complete) New Year's Day is a time for resolutions. Jack Harris, still mourning the tragic death of his wife, vows to start living again. Maddie Evans dumps her boyfriend and vows no more meaningless sex.
Jack moves to The Point to live in his pa...
"He's really her stepfather. I never heard any details about her real father. She was calling him dad." Maddie thought through what she had been told over the years.
"I think I would run away too if I lost Tim so tragically."
"At least he ran to people who care, because all of us down here are his family." Maddie assured her.
She couldn't get Jack and Rory out of her mind all evening. She tossed and turned that night, but her knee felt better, so she was determined to get out for her run in the morning. Peter called to her when he saw her.
"Sorry I played hooky yesterday."
"That's okay I replaced you," Peter said with a wink.
"With whom?" Maddie asked as they went around the bend.
"With him."
Maddie looked, and there was Jack. He looked at her and smiled. "Hey Mads, you're full of surprises." Then he turned to Peter. "She's your running partner?"
"I guess you two know each other."
"Jack ran in Drew's crowd, back in the day," Maddie said.
"... and you were Drew's girl," Jack added.
"Sorry Maddie, but he's taken," Peter said.
"Believe me, I moved on past Drew years ago."
Soon enough she was panting and ready to stop. "Okay boys, I'm done."
She watched them run on and walked home.
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Her second day of school was better than the first. The only negative she had to stay for geometry. After school, she walked into Mr. Castillo's room and he greeted her with a smile.
"I'll try not to keep you too long. I hear you have a ride home."
She looked at him funny. "Ms. Brenner is a good friend. So I contacted your old school and your teacher explained where you left off. We're only one lesson ahead. I'll bring you up to speed in no time."
"You did that for me?" She couldn't believe he went through so much effort.
"It doesn't benefit me if you struggle. My job is to teach all my students and you're my student, so let's start."
She listened as he explained what she had been doing in her last class. Then he moved on to new material. He explained so she could understand. She was working through a few problems when Ms. Brenner popped her head in.
"Are you ready to let this poor girl go?"
He laughed. "Do you want to finish those at home?" Rory nodded, and he said, "Go. Be free."
Rory packed up. "Thank you. You're a good teacher."
"Did you hear that Brenner? I just found my favorite student!"
