For a few moments, Vera watched the lead scratch across the paper beneath Shay’s hand. She could envision the rooms he planned to draw, the hallways, the key rooms, the doorways even. She couldn’t hide from it any long, and even now, as her gaze flickered between Sam, who sat happily with Eli sharing a drink, and Shay, who looked just as bitter as someone with an infected tooth. 

      Then, she made a bold move. With one hand, she reached out to Shay, her hand covering his own, while her other hand coveted the paper, preventing him from drawing anything else, and forcing his attention on her. Or so she hoped. “Shay,” She began, and immediately the lump in her throat returned with a vengeance, the next few seconds she stared mouth agape at him, desperately searching for the right words to say, “I meant what I said back in the car. [i]I am sorry[/i]. You didn’t deserve to be treated the way I treated you. I was angry, and hurt. I was frustrated with Sam. I didn’t feel in control anymore, and I took it out on you and everyone else in the room.” She forced herself to look him in the eye. From her peripheral vision, she could feel Sam’s gaze on her, not to mention the other eyes on her. Everyone knew now. Whether it was Emory or Silas, someone let slip what happened in the apartment, and they all knew the relationship between Shay and Vera, though they were still uncertain what...they were.

“You… I don’t know what to say to make this better. I am afraid. Afraid that I’ll say something wrong, that the next words out of my mouth will make you disappear from my life forever.” Her hand atop his began to tremble, while the other covering the paper withdrew into a clenched fist on the edge of the table. She worked her jaw in agitation, her teeth grinding against one another like gears that didn’t fit. Truly, she was at a loss for words on what to say next, how could she make him understand? What could she say?

“Please Shay.” Her voice dropped into a low, hoarse whisper as she fought back an oncoming surge of tears. “Just give me another chance to make things work, to make it right.” The lower lip of her mouth was pushed forward and trembling. She blinked rapidly, trying her best to make the tears in her eyes disappear, she didn’t want him to her like this. Not now, not in front of everyone here.