Chapter 19

Lance walked alone into a bar near the cinema. The lights were dim inside, and the pounding music drowned out every other sound. He slammed his phone down on the counter and said to the bartender, "Give me the strongest drink you've got, and keep it coming." With every glass he emptied, the harsh burn from the alcohol scorched his throat. Nevertheless, the ache in his heart refused to fade. As the liquor blurred his vision, memories of Sienna surged back in his mind like an unstoppable tide. He remembered the first time he saw her when they were freshmen in high school. She came on stage as the opposing debater. She wore a white dress, and the sunlight bounced off her hair and made every strand glow. Her speech was clear and sharp, and her eyes were bright. Her arguments came quickly and fearlessly. She wasn't aggressive at all but brimmed with youthful passion. Lance's heart had pounded uncontrollably as he watched her. That was the first time he understood what it meant to fall