Tom didn't stop until he reached the stunning turquoise pool of the seventh waterfall. Maria wouldn't chase him this far. He wished he could keep running back to Canada, but even there, she'd eventually be nearby. Another reminder of his failures.

How did he fall into this trap again? Believing a woman who longed to be anywhere but in his arms? Stressing about what he said, did, and looked like for nothing. It didn't matter what continent he was on. Once a better-looking and smoother guy arrived, women would leave Tom. It was a curse.

Except for Prae, but even she had spent the night at Mitch's doing God knows what. Whatever feelings she had for him would be long gone.

And he deserved that after taking advantage of her kindness. He was no better than Maria. Good thing he'd be moving at the end of the school year. He'd escape this mess behind and start over somewhere new. Maybe in China or South Korea, or he could backpack around Europe, letting old architecture and cultures numb him. As long as he avoided Paris, or maybe France as a whole, and cooking or fine cuisine. Damn it, everything was connected to her.

Rushed footsteps came in his direction, slowing as they grew closer. He groaned. Couldn't Maria and her problematic conscience leave him in peace?

"Tom," a voice he wasn't expecting called out.

Their eyes met, and Prae approached as if he were a rare bird she would startle.

"Can I sit with you?" she asked meekly.

"I'm not in a great mood. Approach at your own risk."

She sat down on the rock beside him, farther than she'd been yesterday. "I heard that you and Maria broke up."

Of course, pity brought her here. "I was right all along." He kicked at the ground, dislodging the brown dirt and catching some in his sandal. "I'm never enough for the women I date."

"What happened?"

"Another man, just like last time." A bug with several legs crawled out from the moist soil near his feet.

"That doesn't take away from your wonderful qualities. Your kindness, your good nature, your delightful sense of adventure."

Her words were sweet, but she was too good a person to see someone in pain and not try to comfort them. She couldn't mean them. Maria had said plenty of nice lies to him too. Believing them had gotten him here.

"It leaves me single and heartbroken."

"Not forever."

"Until the next woman fools me." Another insect dislodged itself from the soil and joined the other one, the two abandoning Tom. He must emit some kind of repellant to all living things.

"I doubt Maria set out to fool you. She cared about you."

There it was. Loyalty to that deceitful woman.

"Yeah, cared enough to hook up with Mitch."

"What?" Prae exclaimed, both eyebrows raised. "Are you sure?"

She only worried because of her recent infatuation with that man. Perhaps she'd be brighter than Maria and walk away sooner. Either way, she deserved the truth.

"Last weekend, she admitted she spent the night at his place. She says they only slept, but that's what people say to make themselves less of a villain."

Prae averted her gaze and ran her hand over her hair. "I've talked to him since then and, from the impression I received, nothing happened between them."

Tom wished he had that much naïve faith in people, but life had taught him otherwise. That Prae believed Mitch over him was just another blow. "That could mean they're both lying about it."

"Mitch likes her far too much to hide his excitement if it was romantic."

Tom startled. He didn't hear that right. "He likes her?"

"Why do you think he and I spend time together?"

"Because he's charming? He said he found someone he really cared for, but I assumed he was talking about you."

Prae laughed, making her narrow shoulders shake. She tucked a rogue strand of hair behind her ear. "He acts like a caring brother more than anything. We both find it hard to watch people we like date someone else. I don't compliment you to boost your ego. I genuinely believe those things about you, Tom. You are a wonderful, loyal, compassionate person, and I can't grasp how Maria made her choice, because to me, it's illogical."

A glimmer in her eye made him pause. The same one from last night, from when they cooked pierogies together, and from when he comforted her in her mother's kitchen. But he'd thought Maria held that same enthusiasm. He couldn't keep fooling himself.

"You're just being kind."

Her eyes teared up. "When I left your room, I fled to the only place I could cry without being questioned or feeling guilty. I didn't ask Mitch to talk to you, and I'm furious that he did because it's only led to more pain that you don't deserve." Her nails dug into her knees.

He wanted to be excited that her feelings were sincere, but his chest was a cave of echoing emptiness that would swallow Prae too if he let it. "I'm sorry I hurt you. You didn't deserve that either."

She nodded and turned away, bringing her sleeve to her face. His heart ached. He didn't want to make her barren promises as Maria had done, but he also wouldn't reflect his pain on her. Perhaps once this wound wasn't so fresh, he'd figure this out.

"Prae, I know I've taken you for granted and taken advantage of your kindness. I'm very sorry. Too much is swirling in my head to make sense of anything, but you are amazing, and once I'm less of a mess, we should talk more about you and your feelings."

She turned to him and smiled, tears still fresh in her eyes. "I'd like that a lot. Did you want me to leave you alone? I should let the others know you're okay."

"I'm sure they've moved on to other things."

She stood up and stretched, her shirt lifting to reveal a small patch of skin above her shorts. "Maria was very upset when she asked me to talk to you."

Tom stared at the ground where the bugs had fled. "I imagine Mitch has taken care of that by now."

"She still cares about you. I'll let her know, but you don't have to come. Should I try to keep them away from this part of the waterfall?"

"No, it's fine. I'll join you when I'm ready, but they don't need to change their plans because of me."

As her leaf-crunching footsteps retreated, his shoulder drooped, and he released a long breath. The gentle falls rippling the pool reminded him of his naïve plan to wade into the pool with Maria, dip her into a kiss as he had in Chiang Mai, and turn his year around by having her agree to be his girlfriend.

But dreams like that were not for guys like him. He'd never get more than a glimmer of that life.

Tom distracted himself by taking photos of the falls, but as he scrolled through his shots, he kept returning to the ones he'd taken of Maria. Her smile, laugh, and the way he'd felt on top of the world when he'd impressed her. His parents had wanted to meet her via video call, and he'd naively imagined the life they'd have together once they were in Alberta. But none of that mattered anymore. He'd fly home to his family alone, a single disappointment just like he left.

Is anyone surprised by Tom's reactions? Do you think he'll come around and open up to Prae?

Thanks for reading!