e sophomore year. The rain outside had faded to a soft drizzle, and jazz hummed from the radio

circling back

ay he knew her name. The way he vanishe

in the rhythm of her structured life. But the way he look

Or her mother. Or any

se she wa

she was

bite that crept down the collar of her coat and tugged at the edges of her patience.

es fli

fr

as b

from t

just shadowed and my

r clutching his side. His hoodie was soaked and clung t

nd the counter, panic and

d-you're

his voice raspier than before. "Plea

but something else-something quiet

d, locking the front door an

pplies, paperbacks, and an emergency first aid

e asked, grabbing g

ple," he muttered. "But

t. A nasty gash ran along his left side, like he'd be

eed st

cleaned. I'll

und, pressed gauze to it, and taped it down. He

lly meeting his eyes. "It miss

his nose. "I'm alwa

ched her like she was something fragile he di

n't have helped me

ouldn't have follo

ghost of a s

on her heels.

ac

t na

"Let's just st

. Why do you

neck, eyes dark. "You do

d. "We've

st semester. You always stayed late to return the handouts. Al

pen slightly. "You

p until the midterm. Hoodie, head

ember someone like that. But nev

mbered me from class

was already in the alley. You just...

. "And the part wher

more than

now what to

et from the shelf and t

atching me up

even know

"And you have this habit of tapping your finger

ed down.

ady slipping out the back door, vanis