ra's

ed before I c

frozen mid-caress. His eyes found mine across the darkness, and I wa

It was ne

who was standing there. When she saw me, her lips curved into a sma

realized. Sh

run. My legs shook, my chest burned, my eyes pouring out tears but I kept m

oices, then footsteps like so

mar

voice of his, the one that

t wal

path. His hand closed around my wrist

hing fragile. Something he

ra, s

me to. Heaven forbid that, I w

face when I asked the question th

urn

same one he'd been wearing when he kissed me an hour ago

fool. I've b

re we,

I didn't know where that came from

ee him choosing his words the way I'd once chosen my si

use st

gether," he said.

even a wince to maybe convince m

already decided. Like I'd ag

ack at me, his eyes full of

, the tears b

n't followed. Probably didn't need to. S

never

ering my name in the dark, making me feel like I was the only person

ose grey eyes I'd drowned in more times than I cou

onfused. He

r intended t

imply and I turn

ed my name once

****

ee days was

dn't read. Professor Bondo asked a question about sedime

never

food around my plate, smiled when Elena sat across f

ine,"

lls

ine, E

ark eyes, that saw too much scanned my face lik

y," she said finally. It wasn't

queezed my hand

day. He sat down next to me without askin

u o

m f

t studied my face with that quiet expression I still couldn't

bad liar

came out hollo

ust never noticed I

ed like hurt. Then he smiled softly and

Smiled when I was supposed to, a

ng that scene from t

***

quickly before

d me, I'd said no. Paul was at an away game, his bus already go

n't sta

thing dark she'd left under the sink, I did

mpty. Far enough from Ashford that nobody who kn

I was from Ashford pack. They

that heavy grey feeling like it might

d. It'd make a

r streaked rather mascara

ed the cap and took a long drin

or three days. I smile

he dark, with n

self fal

'd been locking since freshman year, since I lea

chest and I didn

wn my face a

against my mouth to muffle the sound

cold bench an

hear the

ching until a shadow fell acro

y-eyed, tears stil

was half in shadow, but his eyes which were unreadable he

lost?"

d. But something undernea

my muddled brain couldn't

th to answer. N

e not