Jared spent the entire day in his room, thinking about Mrs. Smith's advice. He knew he had to talk to Eve, but the thought of facing her filled him with fear and worry. He paced back and forth, reliving the talk he would have with her over and over in his mind.
When evening came, Mia knocked on his door softly. "Jared, it's time for dinner."
Jared didn't move from his bed. "I'm not hungry, Mia."
Mia's speech was soft but strong. "You need to eat something. You've been in there all day."
Jared sighed. "I just need to be alone right now."
Mia didn't leave. "What's going on, Jared? You can talk to me."
Jared paused, then got up and opened the door slightly. "It's difficult, Mia. I don't know if I can talk about it."
Mia slipped into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Try me. I'm
