Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

As the car sped away, the guy who seemed like a doctor smirked, glancing at the rearview mirror with a little chuckle. "That kid's still too naive, don't you think?"

In the back seat, a man sat silent, hidden in shadows. He gently wiped the sweat off Clara's forehead, his eyes full of concern. "Z, she's fine, don't worry."

Z held Clara's hand tightly, pulling her close. His voice was rough with emotion. "I regret everything. What should I do? I'm scared every single day now."

The doctor's smile faded, and he took a deep breath. "You're having a moment. Try to calm down and take your meds. I told you, she's not the problem. You're the one who's on edge all the time. If this keeps up, something's gonna give. And you know, what happened back then wasn't even your fault."

Even asleep, Clara felt like she was being suffocated, like vines were wrapping around her. She woke up in darkness, but it reassured her-this was Z's place. She used to hate the dark, but after meeting him, it didn't seem so bad.

She touched her stomach, relieved it didn't hurt anymore, and noticed her skin felt clean, like someone had taken care of her. "Z?" she called out, not seeing anyone around, and quickly got up.

A small light flicked on in the hallway, and there stood the man in the white coat, rubbing his forehead. "He's having an episode. I told him to rest. Feeling better, Ms. Clara?"

Her heart sank. She knew Z had mental issues, but she didn't know the details. "I need to see him."

The man stopped her. "You can't help him. It'll just make things worse. Let him calm down. Ms. Clara, if you truly care about him, promise me you won't do anything drastic, no matter what."

As long as there's life, he believed he could save it.

Clara was surprised, then it hit her he was warning her not to hurt Z. She used to think Z's ramblings were just jokes. Could she have ever really wanted to harm him? What happened?

"Don't you all trust me?" she asked, taking a deep breath.

The man laughed, taking off his glasses to clean them. "Do you trust yourself when you ask that?"

Clara went quiet; he saw right through her. His slow, deliberate movements carried a weight that was hard to ignore. Was this really Z's friend?

He put his glasses back on, giving her a knowing look. "Ms. Clara, ever wonder how Z and I became friends?"

"I wanted to respect him."noveldrama

"Is it respect, or are you afraid to face the truth?"

Seen through again. But instead of getting angry, she steadied herself.

The man looked down, tempted to light a cigarette but stopped himself. "I'll say it again. If you care about him, don't do anything rash. With my skills, if he's breathing, I can save him."

Clara opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. She felt lost, like someone without a past, doubting her own words. She turned and started down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.

"To find the truth. I can't keep being in the dark."

"Ms. Clara, while you've lost your memory, you've been the most genuine version of yourself. The burdens you carry are so heavy, you forget about your own feelings, and those who care about you."

Clara felt a spark of frustration, taking a deep breath to keep her voice calm. "Then tell me, what should I do?"

He smiled gently, moving closer to her. "While you don't have your memories back, spend time with him. Make new memories. That'll make him happier than anything. Don't think it's simple. What's between you two isn't just a small fight."

Clearly, he knew a lot but wasn't spilling any secrets. Clara turned, saying, "I'll come see him tomorrow."

The man watched her vanish into the darkness, sighing softly. "What a tangled mess this is."