She found him at the grocery store, prudently examining packs of gum with several in his hand. She stood behind him for a few seconds, just watching him be his unique self, and then said, "That's a lot of gum."

Amy guessed that he knew it was her because he didn't even spare her a glance. "Yeah, well, they say chewing gum keeps your ears from hurting on planes."

Her heart stood still. This was everything she had feared after re- examining her situation with Ephram on the long bus ride home from Denver. "And . . . what plane would that be?"

He said monotonously, "The one that goes to New York tomorrow morning."

Tears immediately sprung into her eyes and she furiously tried to push them back. "You're going back?"

Ephram walked to the cash register and Amy followed him insistently. "Even though I know you'll miss me terribly," he informed her with obvious sarcasm, "I'll be gone for the rest of the summer." He handed the gum to the cashier.

"No, Ephram, you can't," Amy beseeched.

"I sure as hell can," he countered while paying for his purchases with a wad of cash from his pocket. "You don't control me."

"Of course I don't," she began, now chasing him outside into the cold Colorado air. "I--"

Ephram suddenly stopped walking and acknowledged her by looking into her eyes with a piercing, cold stare. "What are you doing here, Amy? Did you come here to start this everlasting cycle again of our stupid love-hate relationship?"

"No, Ephram! I'm here because I . . . I'm afraid that the next time I do, you won't be here anymore." Her lip quivered as she continued to try to force back her tears. "I'm here to end that cycle! I'm here to apologize!"

"Too late!" he yelled at her with pain in his eyes. "And I 'won't be here anymore' by tomorrow. But you'll get over it, what with having Golden Boy and all," he said cruelly.

"Don't say that," she sobbed, shaking her head.

"I'm sick of being second best, Amy. I'm always the one you'll settle for when Colin's not around. I'm the one you always talk to about Colin. Colin, Colin, Colin. At the hospital, you said I was always taking care of you. And you're right. That's what I'm sick of. I don't have any reason to sit around and wait for you anymore! I'm done!" He intended those to be his last words, his exit line, and he started to tramp off. But Amy wouldn't allow it.

"Wait!" she pleaded. He spun around and answered only with his rebellious visage. "I didn't think you would forgive me. So I wrote you this." She jabbed a letter in an envelope into his chest. "Just read it before you leave . . . please."

He looked at her, looked at the letter, and back at her again. Finally he reached out and took it hesitantly. "It might slip my mind," he threatened.

***

Earlier that day, Amy had written the letter. She had put her heart and soul into writing it, hoping that it would earn his forgiveness.

Dear Ephram,

I know you must really hate me right now. I know what it feels like, to tell someone you love them without hearing them say it back. There I go again, talking about Colin. I know you must hate that. But I have to talk about him just one more time. And then I never will again.

Colin showed me what love meant. We'd always been childhood sweethearts and everyone knew we were meant to be together. He gave me this perfect, perfect fairytale and I hid behind it and pretended that I was as perfect as it made me look. It took the accident to make me realize that fairytales aren't real. When Colin went into the coma, I wanted to get the fantasy back that had been a part of me for so long and that is what made me try so hard to get him back. I knew it was all falling apart before my eyes, but I ignored it. Even when Colin came back, it wasn't the same.

I can have my fairytale now. Colin is alive and healthy again and he wanted me to return to the fantasy. But now, I don't want it. So I turned Colin down. Now I know that things can never be perfect, no matter how much I want them to be, and although faking perfection makes you look wonderful, it isn't what I want.

But things can be satisfying. Which is what you are to me. I don't want to be perfect anymore. I want to be you. I want to be spontaneous and unique and someone who can head out and be whoever they want to be because they don't have the limitations of being perfect.

The reason that you are so special, Ephram, is because you made me realize that I didn't want the perfect life. Although Colin showed me love, you did something he didn't. You made me think. You made me question everything I had and consider throwing it all out the window just for you. That's something I never had done before. You set me free, Ephram, and that is why I can honestly say that I love you. Because you yourself are perfect in your imperfection.

--Amy

[A/N--Will Ephram read the letter in time? Will he accept Amy or not? You'll have to read to find out in the next and final chapter! Thank you so much to all of you who have reviewed, especially those who have reviewed multiple times! I've had so much fun writing this fic. Please review, and don't forget to read the next chapter soon.]