stop thinki

e had half-convinced herself that she imagined the whole thing. But the first aid kit was still missing a roll of gauze, the

e wanted to solve, but

Or her mother. Or any

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

y-then nearly dropped

a

and those same stormy-gray eyes that seemed to pierce her skin. Thi

ange, casu

e said, as if sh

d, struggling to hide the

" He held up a brown pap

es. "You bribing me

Are you accepti

, then nodded toward the readi

e just watched the way the late afternoon sun lit up the streaks in her hair. She tried not to look

ly. "You said thank-

. "You really don't

eir name, show up bleeding in my books

. "But I didn't lie about my name. I

w. "And what is

then said, "

ells. She couldn't pl

e you hi

said flatly. "And when they do,

us. She leaned forward.

ent, his jaw tightening. "An ac

in his voice-raw and

anything else, at least eat the damn pastry.

obliged. She bit into a flaky chocolate croiss

," she mumbled t

new

hed-just brief

began to blur into headlights and soft horns, Ava and Ja

ked abou

ted The Great Gatsby ("Everyone's shallow

eather notebook full of poetry he'd never shown anyone. He even read

e a criminal," she

ad. "What do cri

. Angry. Cold

said softly, eyes sud

ch the words. There was

o hurt anyone a

d in her mind long aft

ext d

who's t

as rele

g on one shoulder. Ava had barely spoken during their usual catch-up s

arefully. "He's... just so

he h

not re

walking. "Th

ot like that. He's

etry and listens to Bon Iver'? Or differe

Honestly? Somew

careful, Ava. You don't do

y. "Maybe that

ights l

is time, leaning against his black moto

on one of the

ike it might bite.

Want to break

gic, all insti

ist. The engine roared beneath her

ning into a blur of neon lights and shadows. She didn't k

ide a broken fence leading to an old gr

with a flashlight

s this

ore he left. Used to bring me here. Said things cou

cracked tiles. Vines curled along old fr

ing from his pocket: a silver chain. On it hung a ri

e said. "The girl in th

st reached out and pla

the first quiet thing he'd f

wly, he l

t-but careful. Like he was afraid she

art, she said nothi

l of everything the