to haun

a fresh breeze slipping through the crac

y reflection behind her-watching, smiling. Not the kind of smile

mien said softly, sliding a mu

was mine," s

blinked

hade-it's mine. From my bag. B

st watching. He's close. Close enough to tou

. "And still, I

mien said. "He wants

it's wo

-

filled with sunl

the coffee.

d her like she was the only thing t

strong,"

arp, bitter. "

Fear doesn't cancel out strength

et hi

flatter. He said them like facts. Like he'd looked inside

rying everyone else's ghos

. "Only when they

ir felt heavy with

ing de

hing

first. But he di

-

ien drove her to a small

round, he

k, dece

e normal. As normal as two people could be after f

focus on her

sked. "The fear. The constan

top expecting it to go away. You

ds lo

ed up.

d at him.

aze. "Now, I'

t thudded on

way he lo

a mess. A flight risk

er jagged edges-

-

t. The sky was streaked in purple and

wn," she said as they walked. "That one day I'

d n

want calm," she repli

ing. "You think

ned to

n inch lower. "The

eath c

hits my spine like i

be

'd fake this

whispered. "You're g

are

r step

art now. The world

, gently brushi

d where his fi

e me," sh

hy

think I could

enough that his br

all," h

she

-

s wasn'

sn't

as a

ing she'd pushed down in the chaos. His lips on hers-ho

n't wan

toni

de her feel like she

breathless, her head re

rtbeat

like

e in a long time, Ali

elt w

-

things were still. Stil

, his movements cautious. She

ust the guy with a tragic

her defenses faster than

scared

e like that," she

e wh

'm brea

looking at you like you're the s

outh to argue-when

both

as 1

should

nd his back as he approached the d

ed under

" Alin

ned th

od there, soaked,

e she hadn't s

locked

danger," sh

you?" Dam

turned to

ace," s

e went compl

heart

si

who disa

was supposed