"That was surprisingly easy to do!" Echo said with her hands on her hips as June stepped out of the room into which she'd rushed, slamming that door accidentally behind her as soon as she heard Chad's voice outside. God, she missed him. She missed him, yet she didn't want to see him. Not till he knew everything there was to know about her, and even then, she didn't want to meet him. She wanted to give him time, time to think about whether he truly wanted this—her. She couldn't marry him, knowing there were dark things from her past she never wanted to speak of, but needed him to know. So he'd know her, know what she was capable of. Know that she wasn't perfect, but a flawed human being. Perhaps more flawed than he ever could be.

June crossed her arms in front of her chest and stared at the closed front door, chewing the inside of her cheek. "How did he seem?" she asked, wanting to hear any but the truth—he was suffering, and she'd done that.

Echo shrugged. "You wanna know how he is, you should have come out here and asked yourself!"

For the first time since she'd rushed over that night and knocked on Echo's door, June wished she hadn't restored to seeking refuge with her high-morals bestie. Instead, she could have asked Ben, maybe, only if things hadn't gotten awkward between them after that one night.

June sighed. "I would have if I weren't hiding from him."

"Why are you hiding from him? And does it have anything to do with the fact that he popped the one question you wished someone else had popped, but never did?" Echo ploughed ahead into the kitchen, bumping her elbow into June's arm as she passed. "That man was a dingbat, June. And you're running from a perfectly good man because why? Please tell me you're still not hoping the turd will come around!"

"Ew, no! Not anymore. Not since my parents died." June countered though meekly.

"And not because you found out the truth about him?" Echo threw her a nasty look. "Or did the man rub off on you so much that you're like him now, afraid to commit?"

"I'm not afraid to commit. Don't you dare compare me to him."

"Chad clearly loves you." Echo grabbed the bottle of milk from the fridge. "So why are you hesitating? Two years ago, if Mr Bolton had asked you to marry him, you would have said yes without a second thought."

"He wouldn't have asked." June glumly watched Echo clamour around fixing herself a bowl of cereal. "It's almost dinnertime. What are you doing?"

"Don't change the subject." Echo made a show of putting a spoonful of cereal into her mouth—a cocky smile thrown in for good measure.

"I'm just saying, he never would have asked, would he? I was the fool who believed it was even possible."

"I should have just let Chad in and told him you were hiding in my guest bedroom." Echo walked off towards the lounge room.

"You wouldn't!" June rushed after her into the lounge.

Echo stopped ahead of her, and turned, careful of her bowl. "No, I wouldn't, because you, unfortunately, made me pinkie-swear the night you knocked on my door asking if you could stay here. And I don't break my promises. You know that. But, I wish I could. Just this once. Even tell him to punch the little shite's face for me, but something tells me your current boy is a softie."

Echo plonked down on the well-worn sofa, laughing. "You know you're just delaying the inevitable. Chad's gone to see your slimy ex—who should burn in hell, by the way—and tomorrow, he'll be back, to knock on my door, again. Just know I'm giving you up tomorrow. I am. Stop running away from your feelings. It's what gets you into trouble every time."

"Give me up? I'm not a hostage." June threw herself onto the cushion next to her friend and snatched the spoon off her hand, scooping a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

When June looked up, Echo was staring at her with an expression she had never seen on her friend's face. "What?"

"What are you doing?" Echo asked.

"Eating cereal?"

Echo threw her a look; 'spill or I will gut you'.

"He doesn't really know me, does he? Not my past. I'm not this perfect girl he wrote about. And he needs to know... I've never been perfect." June played with the hem of her dress. "I'm a mu... I'm a... murderer... a home-wrecker... a terrible daughter... a liar... I've done things no good girl would ever do. And when he knows all that, he won't want to be with me. So, I better I let him go now than later—before I ruin his life."

"If you mean bad, like that one time you got high and ended up in a bedroom with two other people?" Echo grinned. "That hardly counts as bad."

"You told me we would never breathe a word of that incident!" June laughed, but barely. "I mean it. I killed my—"

"Stop. You are none of those things. None of those things, you hear me?" Echo scooped her chin into her firm hand and forced June to look up into her fierce blue eyes that were swimming with kindness. "You are human, you were young, you made mistakes, and you learned from them. But you're none of those things. You're a kind, quirky, and self-doubting mess, but you are beautiful."

The tears that had bloomed in June's eyes cascaded down her cheeks. "I killed my parents, Echo."

Echo took June into her arms. "No, you didn't. The fire did."

"The fire I caused. If I hadn't left the stupid candle burning..." June clung to her friend. "I don't deserve love." She could feel Echo's head shaking beside her own. "I don't deserve him. He's good, too good."

Echo was silent for a long while—until June's sobs had silenced. Then she let her go and looked her in the eyes again. "June Amari. Tomorrow, that man who loves you and asked you to marry him will knock on this door again—a man far worthier than our biology professor. Chad is going to knock on that door again, while looking like he's about to shit himself, again—"

June laughed at that, even though her heart was still heavy.

"—but everyone deserves to be happy and I will not let you destroy yours because you fell in love once with a lying man who cost you everything. So when Chad knocks on that door tomorrow, I want you to answer it."

"I can't."

"You can. Chad is exactly the type of man your parents would have wanted for you. A man who loves you like a coral loves the seafloor! Yes, he's a little odd, but who isn't? Do it for them."

"Like a coral loves the sea floor? What?"

"Just roll with it." Echo gave her the 'if you know what's good for you' look, and June knew then, perhaps tomorrow was the day she'll finally learn the truth. Does Chad Gilligan actually care for her, or is he in love with a character from his own book? The character she wasn't. Plus, Echo was right. Chad was someone her parents would have liked.

"If the knock comes," June managed, doubtful Chad would ever come knocking on Echo's, or any other door looking for her once he met the man she'd once loved.

"My gut tells me it will." Echo squeezed her gently.

"You really think they would have liked him?" June whispered into Echo's neck.

"In a heartbeat." Echo sprang to her feet. "I'm ordering us pizza! We need comfort grease and I need something to chase it down with."

As Echo waltzed into her room in search of her mobile phone, June hoped, that tomorrow Chad would come knocking again.

"So, when does your girlfriend get back in town?" she asked, following Echo into her room. "I'm really looking forward to meeting her."