And after I dropped him off, I took the longest possible route home... I explored alleys and hidden roads I never knew existed. I discovered neighborhoods entirely new to me. And finally... I discovered I was sick of this town and everything in it.

Maybe you didn't know what people thought of you because they themselves didn't know what they thought of you. Maybe you didn't give us enough to go on, Hannah.

Maybe it's not as important to you as it was for me, but that's not for you to decide.

This was not a spurr-of-the-moment decision. Do not take me for granted... again.

And concentrating on the spot where the two spindles should be is the closest I get to looking Hannah's eyes as she tells my story.

A week went by and nothing. But eventually, as they always will, the rumors reached me. And everyone knows you can't disprove a rumor.

That is all that happened. Why did you hear something else?