[b][i]Chapter Three: Scarlet[/i][/b]

Their lives went on, as all lives do. Fleeting moments in the scheme of things. She continued pursuing the art degree she had always dreamed of, and he pretended to enjoy the programming classes he took.

She did her best to forget him. The boy who had broke through and stolen her heart. The boy who had took that heart and smashed it into pieces so tiny that it could never be saved.

He pretended not to watch her. Pretended she had never existed so that he could convince himself that he was the same cold bastard he'd always been. It worked. Mostly. Until he caught sight of scarlet hair. Then he was forced to start all over again.

Neither would admit it, but they kept tabs on the other. He knew that Elena was a promising student with her beautiful watercolors. She knew that Jake could complete a three-week project in three days.

Life went on.