DEADLINES

al for what had happened last night-texts from a stranger, a note s

y slept. She had

fear was a luxury for people who didn't have deadli

office, she could feel her pulse b

s alrea

rrived ear

a pencil nervously against his notebook,

phi

g different today. Less t

early,"

're

fened. "

right before they fain

ea

s hair. "I just... wanted to see

wed. "You got

ghtening. "And th

ispered. "Th

licker-fear passed between

phia shut i

r laptop with clipped movements. "We have a project. We

lling his sketchpad clos

at in

peacef

ind that builds walls in

fast, precise

lly, with exaggerated pen stro

tes she slammed

you

d. "Can I n

sketchpad. "You're scribbling like you

the page. "I'm

ike you're s

you're punishin

effic

re vi

her nose. "Dean, deadli

s require c

alism. Not a c

ter. "Comics are

ns sharing

as a me

wha

ring so wildly the pencil flew from his

er eyes. "This

. "Trying to collaborate with someone who

e my wa

rob

adu

pointing at himself.

descript

rms crossed. "You really

ia f

meant to sa

for it to sound l

ected quickly. "And I don't

hink that'

idn't

It startled her. He had always been disarmingly war

looke

ke again, his v

ow I'm not easy to work w

sty ratt

ed out of nowhere-coffee in hand, eyebrows r

appening?"

ned immediately.

're auditioning for

t her. "She th

aos," Soph

deeply it could've po

m. "This isn't a debate club. This is a

her arms. "We n

ketchpad. "We nee

ed boun

d breath

he bridge of his nos

th fell

oking between them like he was pie

he said. "You two are not a

choked.

h dropped o

need to learn each other's style. Learn how to communicate without homicide

hythm," Sop

luntly. "You ha

a hand. "I h

thusiasm," the

pou

uldn't be

ly calm, "your solution is to f

es

re we talking? Because I don't want to acciden

ou take up too mu

uum oxygen o

nds sharply. "Enough. Tod

choed in horr

ople. Couples, singles, strangers, whoever.

a gro

bing his backpack. "F

nd. "No. No field t

l. "And Sophia-take notes. Dean-do sketches. D

anted to

d to ask f

who had survived too many of their a

eath. "Fine. Let's ju

at energy. Super excited to

Not t

day is

ed his ar

iled

et. The sun was too bright, the wind too sh

sked, swinging his backpack

here q

here l

eyes. "We need a

ople walk dogs. Dogs are emotional cr

ence made

rarely

rt of her chest th

"Couples talk there. Singles talk there. A

ed. "Coffee

down the street,

qu

d, "So... abou

a sti

it

ation she d

t," she w

" His voice was g

k at him. "I w

u were

opped

rn

his

et scared,

oftened. "Everyo

t m

human,

cond-long enough to feel someth

shed past them, bumping Sophia's sho

ntly, grabbing her

ay?" he

t her heart had

didn't stop. Didn't apolog

alking-hood up,

sappear into the crowd

d her gaze.

ng," s

followed her

imed as they entered. Couples chatted, frie

ner booth before

ith simple questions. We approach people p

lready wan

" she

eir sixties holding hands-and smiled charmin

e lit up

across the room, u

ce was

sture

esence

oke easil

ea

ng them-quick strokes, flu

a exh

the counter and beginning her own intervi

uld do

uld do

r, she returned to

ketchpad

d dra

artoo

xagge

mock

nsion in her posture, the fierceness behind

a way that made h

me," she s

stant. Like your mind was somewhe

"Don't draw me w

sketchpad sl

een them-something she

could speak, someone

blood tur

rson who had bumpe

e h

s buried

d

taring dire

ession change ins

dn't a

inside... then slipped some

no

ted a

llowed

.. who i

now," she

gure t

shed out

heart pounding as she grabbed

right b

nfold

sent

t o

h running o

s breat

e broke low

someone's f

lights

omach

ne wa

was wa

nted them

were su

t follow he

se he d

e mechanical click of a pen being capped. Slow. Too slow. He's doing it deliberately. That casual, in

posite

ps behind her, longer and looser than hers. Somehow

a," he

oesn'

nd she refuses to explode in fr

hia-

st

doesn'

l choice irritates her more than the argument itself. He wants

want to be

she asks

of his neck. "Look,

not

're

ats, even though her le

ng that thi

t th

nched to death. Like your teeth

ns even more.

both hands in surrend

finish starting

t, too warm, too unb

tress, impenetrable and controlled. But Dean has this ridiculous,

gh

n she's

ates

uinely uneasy for the fi

ight," he s

phia least expect

ns to face him

"About the tone. About the resear

"Are you bei

That's how she knows he's serious. "I didn't ta

ms but not tightly

kind of breath someone uses

hard at something importan

rms fall t

Not from him. Not after the past few

to do with vulnerabili

this up," she says, s

t y

s expression. Something he tries to

rgan is

dn't hav

ring his throat. "Tru

on't know if we can ke

t's

. I have s

kno

deadl

initel

sys

I know

nd

eps c

cl

she feels his brea

he asks, not te

al or physical. Closeness complicates everything. Closeness is m

she says abrupt

slowly. "O

e stick to t

on

we communic

oo

e: no dist

intly. "Define

Mostly

and genuine. "Alright.

ng her chin. "We don't interfere

ion flickers.

... you," she s

... you," h

s it, because that's a dead-end

. Another truce gestu

s her hand in his,

a warmth that lingers too long. His fingers tighten just slightly

ulls awa

ing her throat. "Then l

follows her do

into the shared workspace, t

es not loo

itor's

rossed. Her express

she o

ts imme

slowly, mentally

ted stack of their

t collaboration. This is two peo

fens. "I ca

"I don't want explanat

louche

d to figure this out. Because right now, t

s stoma

g by how he straig

-two hours to show me progress. Rea

s heart

gn the

ything she

he late

he sacr

s instantly. "We

use right now, Sophia, you look like you'

glances

perceptible shake of his he

venty-two hours. Consider

she l

she leaves behin

ales. "Well. Tha

is a storm. "

grees. "But

ice so

ed hon

p sharply.

irectly in

with me scare

roat g

t the lie she always

through he

fying in ways she

she begi

errupts. "Just a

is no long

ger ca

nger

asks quietly, "or are

lams agains

ens he

fice door

ber appears

You two need to come

phia demands, strai

member swa

she says. "Someone ju

a fre

so fast his

eaked?" Sophia asks

ember's voi

t. And the comments ar

lse spikes.

f member sha

ut Angela wants b

oks at

looks a

hing f

hing c

esn't just want th

nts to sab

eth

their collaboration. And Sophia is forced to confr