Jeremy's fingers tightened around the edges of the book as he read, his eyes scanning the pages with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief. The story of Jack's mischief and loneliness felt eerily familiar, though he would never admit it. He leaned against the side of a building, flipping through the pages faster than he thought he would. The words seemed to pull him in deeper with every turn.

But then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed movement. Turning his head sharply, he spotted Chelsea and Max standing at a distance, partially hidden behind a lamppost. Chelsea's worried expression was unmistakable, and Max was fidgeting, clearly unsure whether to approach or stay back.

Jeremy's jaw clenched. His initial instinct was to throw the book onto the ground, but something stopped him. Instead, he glared at them, the frustration bubbling up inside him like an unstoppable wave.

"What are you two doing here?" he snapped, his voice loud enough to carry through the snowy street. He stormed toward them, clutching the book tightly. "Following me? Spying on me? What's your deal?"

Chelsea took a cautious step forward. "Jeremy, it's not like that. We just... we wanted to see if you'd give it a chance."

Jeremy waved the book in the air. "Give what a chance? This?" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "What is this supposed to be, huh? Some kind of project? Like I'm a problem you need to fix?"

Max opened his mouth to respond, but Jeremy cut him off.

"Save it," Jeremy spat, his eyes darting between them. "You think I'm stupid? I know what this is. You think if I read some little story, it's going to change me? Make me... what? Nice? Like you two?" He pointed at them accusingly, his voice trembling. "Why don't you just leave me alone?"

Chelsea's face softened. She kept her voice calm, though her heart was pounding. "Jeremy, it's not about changing you. It's about helping you see that you're not alone. That's all we want."

Jeremy's grip on the book tightened, his knuckles turning white. For a moment, it seemed like he might throw it, but instead, he held it close to his chest. His gaze darted to the ground, his expression flickering between anger and something softer, something harder to define.

"I didn't ask for this," he muttered, his voice quieter now but no less sharp. "I don't need you to feel sorry for me."

"We don't feel sorry for you," Max said, stepping forward. "We just care."

Jeremy's head shot up, his glare returning. "Well, stop. I don't need it." He turned abruptly, shoving the book into his coat and stomping away down the street.

Chelsea started to take a step after him, but Max gently grabbed her arm. "Don't," he said softly. "Let him go."

They stood in silence, watching Jeremy's figure grow smaller as he disappeared around a corner. Chelsea hugged herself, the cold air biting at her exposed skin. "Do you think he'll keep it?" she asked quietly.

Max exhaled, his breath visible in the frosty air. "I think he will. He could have thrown it down, but he didn't."

Chelsea nodded, though doubt still lingered in her mind. "What do you think he'll do?"

Max shrugged, but there was a hint of hope in his voice. "Maybe he'll keep reading. Maybe he'll see that it's for him."

Chelsea sighed, her breath curling into the air like a wisp of smoke. "I hope so. For his sake."

The two of them lingered for a moment longer before heading back to their sleigh, the weight of the encounter heavy on their shoulders. Behind them, tucked safely inside Jeremy's coat, the book rested against his chest, its words waiting to be read again.