Chapter 17

After calling out, Bradley immediately gave chase. But the faster he ran, the quicker the figure disappeared. He chased all the way until the end of the alley, only to find that the figure had completely vanished. Bradley's eyes turned slightly red as he finally admitted to himself how he truly felt. He loved Madeline, without a doubt. When Bradley woke up again, he found himself lying in a hospital bed. A few close friends and his mother, Ingrid Thatcher, stood nearby, looking at him with concern. Howard Shaw, his father, sat nearby with a darkened expression. Even as he saw his son wake up, his grimness showed no signs of easing. "How can you let yourself fall apart like this? Do you not have any dignity? Let me tell you—if you keep acting like life is over, don't bother coming back home. I'll pretend I never had a useless son like you." After a long silence, Bradley finally said, "I've thought it through. I'm going to find Madeline." Overwhelmed with anger at how pathetic and