Stella is in front of me in the hallway. I'm a little confused to find her there, on my doorstep. She seems worried. I don't know if I should invite her in.

"Is everything all right?" she asks me, concerned.

She scrutinizes my face, looking for any answer, or beginning of answer.

"Yes, I'm fine", I'm lying. "Why wouldn't I be?"

She arches an eyebrow, with a dubitative expression. She doesn't seem to believe me.

"I haven't seen you in the dining room. Nor your weird boyfriend. And, during the meal, I heard doctors talking about a fight and... I saw the head of the nurse who came to pick you up", she starts. "And I have the strange conviction that you are no stranger to his condition..."

I look away from her as I sigh. I close my eyes and take a good breath.

"Brody, listen..."

Brody...

"I don't have time, okay? I cut her off. "I have a lot to do and... why are you here anyway?"

Stella seems baffled by my mood change. She frowns at the tone I'm talking to her about. I'm not even giving her the time to answer.

"Don't make me think you're worried about me", I puff.

She opens her mouth, ready to make a reply, but she changes her mind. She seems to weigh the future words that will come out of her lips.

"Yes, I was worried about you, but I was clearly wrong," she grumbles, putting her hands on the wheels of her chair to back up.

She was worried about me. That thought makes me as happy as it makes me suffer. I hate myself for talking to her like that, but I have to keep her away, even if it costs me. I have to have only one goal: to make this film. At the risk of sacrificing things in the process. Even though she's angry, I know I hurt her. I watch her walk away.

But, as if I had no more control over my body, my legs began to run towards the chair and my hands caught the wrists of driving. Surprised by the sudden stop of her race, Stella turns towards me and I can detect a mixture of astonishment and anger in her eyes, like the time I had handed her my yogurt.

"What are you doing?" she asks coldly.

I pull the chair back. She screams a small smothered scream as I bring her back to my room.

"Let me go now!" she orders, in the same tone.

I am careful that no spy from the medical team sees us. I quickly close the door behind me and face my guest.

"You have a real problem," she says, with a look of disdain.

"Do you know where we are?" I ask her, making great gestures with my hands.

Strangely, she smiles. We are in a psychiatric institute and she is surprised that I could have a problem... This girl will always amaze me. I had to see more emotions in her in less than a day than in any other individual. I can only imitate her.

I sit on the bed, getting serious.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have talked to you like I did. I'm such a dick sometimes!"

Her eyes are softening.

"So I am right to be concerned," she points out with a mischievous expression.

For some reason, tears come to my eyes. She notices it and tries to catch my eye.

"What's wrong, Brody?" she asks me in a soft voice.

A ball is forming in my throat. I feel like I'm going to explode.

"Everything," I say, as tears roll down my cheeks. "I've only been here since yesterday and I can't get it right. I caused problems and... I don't know, actually! I'm here for a specific reason and I can't do it... I want to do things right, but... I feel like everything here has a negative consequence... and Freddie, I..."

I can't finish my sentence. I'm falling apart. I'm holding my head in my hands. I feel Stella's hand resting on my shoulder and caressing it to calm me down. I don't want her to see me like this. I had not let that happen for years. The last time was after the accident. I feel so bad about what I did to Freddie. And the worst part is, I can't even go to him. And it's eating me up.

I hear Jade's broken voice again on the phone and even her, I can't go see her! It's like the universe is against me!

She had to be there when I broke down. I would so like to tell her the truth. That, too, eats me up. Stella puts her other hand under my chin to force me to look at her. Her blue eyes are full of kindness and somewhere it soothes me. Let her be there. With me. For me.

"You are really different from the other boarders," she says, scanning my face. "I don't know exactly why you're here, or the things you're supposed to do, but... you took risks for me and I can't thank you enough. I don't think I thanked you, by the way.... So thank you, Brody. Nobody stepped in before. So, if you need my help with anything... I'm here."

Her last words stop my tears. I don't know if it's because of the surprise or its benevolence and sweetness, but I feel better all of a sudden. My eyes do not leave hers. I do not want this moment to end. Unfortunately, she is lowering her head, and I find myself troubled by this closeness.

"I'd better... go back to my room," she says, avoiding looking at me.

She directs her chair to the door, which I do not hasten to open. I quickly scrutinize the corridor, but it is deserted. The way is clear. Stella rushes in smiling at me. As she walks away for the second time, her last words come back to mind.

"You said you wanted to help me, right?" I call her.

She stops rolling and turns to me.

- Yes.

I approach her. I kneel before her to face her.

"So help me go and see Freddie", I tell her.

******