's

cheeks as I wept. My body felt heavy, like I

?" A voice, deep and unfami

I mouthed weakly, lost in me

m surrounded me. A dull ache spread through my limbs, but my attention snapped t

d me of that night. The night my parents were killed. The

ut before I could get an answer, my vision b

table beside my bed, neatly arranged with food-pork,

oice barely above a whisper. A warm feeling spread

voice startled me. "Faint again, and I promise

his angel is

crutinizing me like I was some fragile, pitiful thing. His stare lingered a little too long,

nly fel

d, his voice oddly firm. "

ath hi

top myself, fingers brushing a

hed hi

d what I had done, h

ive my rudeness!" Heat rushed

he said, his voice

gut, and I quickly shook my head. I had spent my entire l

nother angel who said I

ession d

e said

then shoo

but I

used to hearing that word. For a

rich, handsome stranger. I wasn't about

hospital," I said, pushing my

curled in

y ten milli

llion dollars? What

spital in the world.

mach d

tality. Don't you thin

fists. "There'

told me all I

en my next ten generations couldn't pay that o

agree to my terms?

lare. "Can I g

ur

d out of the hospit

you re

my head. "I do

oked... blank. Like he co

him and wa

r name?" he

myself. Like

ed to know," I sa

-

ndor'

I ever asked out

ad day

eets, the hospital doors swinging shut behind her.

s not l

amus

ver dared sa

chased me, desperate for a sliver of my w

ran

d under m

aying hard to g

thing cau

lastic lay on the

flipping it ov

Hawthorn

18 ye

January

Everwood

girl with dark hair, expressi

most amu

ption at t

to run away from challenges and op

mir

le thing you are, Lit

r name, the gears in m

ected," I murmured to myself. "I w