After Jude had finished telling me he was also a patient of Dr. Alder's, I asked why he was there, like it was the most normal question in the world. Even though I hadn't answered him when he asked, he still gave me some insight to who he was.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvGohRHcPi
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"My dad thought there was something wrong with me because I didn't like spending all of my free time with him. I wanted to go out with my friends and go to parties, and when I came home drunk once, he said he'd had enough. He called my mom the next morning and they both agreed that I should go see someone. Unfortunately for me, Dallas is an old friend of the family. Doesn't that make my visits all the more special?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpXw3bmcQl
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlDiszTlQQ
It struck me as odd that he'd call his psychiatrist by her first name, but I didn't say anything about it. Instead I asked, "Does that make it weird?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMq79ayxOJ
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMu0QtNgxAO
"What?" He was in the process of shredding a napkin up and hadn't heard me.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBGahiyaoQ
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJugRcx4h6
"With her being a family friend. Isn't it strange? I mean, if she's so close, wouldn't she have known your problems before you got an appointment with her?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSgetbjKM4
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBMWJApay3
"My parents didn't tell her anything. That would be kind of stupid, wouldn't it?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ggsgKFwCN
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhZzyaDBTt
"But didn't your parents have to call her?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPiDs2bu3h
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Jude looked at me, the torn napkin forgotten. His eyes held mine for a minute before he said, "Are you trying to ruin my explanation or something? You're the one who asked for it, remember?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsy7BdkFFKH
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I frowned. "Sorry. Go on."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYfSZqJEFI
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He smiled, but only slightly, like he was silently thanking me for letting him continue.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmREBuJHXG
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"Anyway, you should have seen her face when I walked into her office. She looked like she forgot who was coming in that day. But when we started talking, she understood things very quickly. I was actually surprised, but I guess in her line of work, she got a lot of nut jobs."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vS7J8XiCQ
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I stiffened.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJBkA3fTu0
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He blinked at me. "Oh, shit. I'm sorry, Kendall. I didn't mean it like that."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpfnpmCpER
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBuiIVQljF
"It's okay." But it wasn't. I just didn't want him to know that.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfqizxoFyy
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTex7BP6g8
Jude looked at me, his head tilted slightly, like he was trying to figure me out. He was going to fail with that one. Then he let out a long sigh and picked up his mug, draining his coffee.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWdoBey8qm
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpOrQMtMUX
"Listen," he said after he finished, "I'm not going to judge you or anything if you tell me your secret. It's not a big deal, really. I bet you're normal compared to some of the patients Dallas gets."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBdC4VfLBE
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQcAgMFxX5
"It's not that simple," I said, though my voice was now tight, small. "If I tell you, you might get hurt."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfg1Kwr4YT
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNESOwo71Gw
That was when Jude laughed. When he stopped he said, "Please. How the hell can what's already happened hurt me?"388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sOSXHCHzG
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGCds1lnRU
"You don't understand!" I practically shouted in his face, my vision blurring. "I can't tell you what happens because then you're going to go away."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWynuYqxIf
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWL3ezoZW9E
"Wait." His eyes widened and he leaned forward. "What do you mean 'happens'? Kendall, what's going on?" He reached across the table for my hand, and I let him take it. He squeezed my fingers.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFeg9axl9R
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I looked up at him. I could feel the tears running down my cheeks now. I took a breath and finally told him. Then I wished I hadn't opened my mouth.388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNqKYAUVzN
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTuO0I1I5O
"I have dreams almost every night about killing people, only they aren't my dreams, and now I'm afraid you're going to die, too."388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhha2S1XeT0
388Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNrb16MsQr
Before he could reply, I stood up and ran out. But something stopped me halfway out of the shop. The window, there was something taped to it. I wiped my eyes and looked at the white piece of paper. The words MISSING PERSON were typed in big, bold letters on the top of the page, and underneath was a picture. A picture of someone I knew.