But what if... what if she was just scared?
"Even if that's true," I opened my eyes, "it doesn't matter anymore. She's gone. I looked for a month and found nothing."
"That was five years ago," Dmitri said. "Maybe now..."
"Now what?" I laughed bitterly. "I should comb every street in New York looking for redheads?"
"I just think," Dmitri squeezed my shoulder, "if she really meant that much to you, maybe it's worth trying again. Instead of staying locked up in this shell, pushing everyone away."
I stayed quiet for a long time.
"You're right," I finally said. "I should loosen up."
Dmitri's eyes lit up. "Really? Then maybe tomorrow—"
"Tomorrow I have meetings," I cut him off, "but this weekend, maybe we could go upstate. You've been wanting to try that new hunting ground, right?"
Dmitri's smile faltered. "That's not the kind of relaxing I meant..."
"I know what you're getting at," I said, standing up, throwing cash on the bar. "But what I need right now is time. Time to think through... a lot of things."
"Alright," Dmitri stood too, "but you have to promise me—no more getting yourself wasted. What you need is a clear head, not alcohol numbing everything."
I nodded.
Walking out of the bar, New York's night breeze hit my face, carrying early autumn's chill.
Dmitri was right.
I was still thinking about her. Had been for five years straight.
But where was she? Was she okay? Did she... still remember that night?
I touched my wallet in my pocket, where I still kept one of her hairs and that hundred-dollar bill.
Maybe I really should try to let go.
Or... find answers.
The next morning, I woke up to blazing sunlight.
My head was splitting, mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton—miserable as hell.
Damn hangover.
I struggled to get up, stumbled into the bathroom. The man in the mirror looked like shit—bloodshot eyes, stubble sprouting, completely haggard.
I turned on the faucet, splashed cold water hard against my face, trying to wake myself up.
Dmitri was right. I couldn't keep going like this.
Downstairs, I made myself strong coffee and carried the mug to the living room.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making me squint.
That's when I noticed something unusual outside.
The house next door—the one that had been empty for over six months—seemed to have people in it.
