The Third Message novel · Chapter 2 of 24

Chapter 2: Scans

Lana books the surgery she skipped last life, sends the exchange application, and finds Burke and Bree blocking her dorm door for a hike.

That night Burke sent me one text: "Take your pills."

My left leg was already throbbing, and I knew exactly where the pain went from here.

Last life I handed my surgery money to Burke's failing lab, and six months later my leg gave out on a stage.

From the hospital bed I called them both, and a coworker sent me a video of why they never answered. They were in a karaoke booth, passing a cookie mouth to mouth.

When Burke finally called back, he said I could just stop dancing.

I pressed an ice pack to my hip until the memory let go.

Then I booked an orthopedist for the next morning.

At the front desk they asked for an emergency contact.

My thumb had typed Burke's number a thousand times. I wrote my advisor's instead.

The doctor studied my scans and nodded.

"You caught it early. We can operate, and you can dance again."

"But no hard activity until then. Not a hike, not a long walk. If it gets worse, the window closes."

I thanked her and breathed out for the first time in two lives.

Summer break was close, so surgery would fit.

I came back to campus with the scans in my hand.

Burke and Bree were waiting at my dorm gate.

He saw the envelope and frowned. "What's that?"

"Just X-rays," I said.

He nodded and asked nothing more, because Bree was crying.

"Lana, why did you break up with Burke? Is it because of me?" she sobbed.

"We're only friends. You're the most important person in my life. Why would you think that?"

I looked at her wet face.

So I asked her quietly, "Bree, do you like Burke?"

Her pupils shrank.

"What? No! If we wanted to be together, we'd already be together. Why would he ever date you?"

She slapped her hand over her mouth, a beat too late.

Burke's face went cold with disappointment.

"Lana, you can't doubt Bree. She cares about you more than anyone does. Apologize to her."

I looked him in the eye.

"I don't know if she cares about me. But you care about her."

Burke's jaw tightened.

Bree stopped crying at once and stepped in front of him.

"How can you say that to him? He's done everything for you! Without him, you'd have dropped out of college!"

She went straight for the oldest wound I had, in front of the students passing by.

Nobody on the path looked away.

I walked past them without answering, and my leg screamed with every step.

Bree started after me, and Burke held her back.

"Leave it. Look at you, your makeup is ruined."

I heard her sniffle.

"She's throwing a tantrum," he told her gently. "We're not really broken up."

I laughed under my breath and kept walking.

In my dorm room I opened the laptop and filled in the exchange application: one year at Ashford University in Portland, the other side of the country.

The program only had seats for dance majors.

My advisor called that afternoon. "You're certain you're not transferring to geology? Once you apply for the exchange, you can't."

"I'm certain."

I thought of Burke, so sure I'd always say yes.

"Submit it," I told her.

The next morning, my phone buzzed at six.

Bree: "I was too harsh yesterday, sorry! Burke says you're upset, so we're hiking today to cheer you up. You love hiking, right?"

I had only ever pretended to love it, so I could follow them on field trips.

Before I could refuse, Burke called, tired and sharp.

"Just come, Lana. Otherwise she'll cry in front of your dorm again."

"My leg is injured. I can't climb."

"The trail is easy. There's a cable car."

I hung up.

I went down the stairs at seven with my scans in my bag, ready to say no to their faces.

Burke was standing in front of my dorm door.

Bree was standing right next to him, blocking the stairs.

She was smiling, and she had already put on the hiking boots.

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