Chloe was too dispirited to go out with her aunt's family. As soon as they were gone, she pulled off her dress and slipped into her old blue pants and a big, oversized black shirt she had managed to snatch from her brother, Gabe. She wandered off to the woods, seeking the solitude of the quiet brook that lay hidden deep within. The air there was always cooler, calmer, as if it understood sorrow.
Kicking off her footwear and rolling up the hem of her pants, she dipped her feet into the running water and allowed her tears to fall quietly. The brook rippled beneath her, carrying away her sobs. A thick, familiar fragrance filled the air moments later. Before she could turn, someone lowered himself beside her.
It was Jordan.
“You again? What are you doing here?” Her voice trembled between i
