Page 111 - My FlipBook

T R A I L O F C R U M B S

“Shut up! Get out of here!” she shouted, making him
step back.
“Fine.” He threw up his hands and turned to leave.
He made it to the door before she said, “Actually, come
back.”
“What? Why?”
“Just get over here.”
He came back and stood in the same place. “What?”

“Sit down.”
He did. Greta shoved his body so he faced away from her
on the bed. Then she leaned against his back. “Wait.” She
took off her jacket and dropped it to the floor. He wouldn’t
see the stain, facing the other way.
“Why am I—”
“Shut up, Ashwin.”

They sat with their backs against each other, holding each
other up. After a minute Greta let her head fall back, resting
it against his neck. She felt his body heat escaping through
his thin T-shirt. She swore she could feel his heartbeat. It tied
in with the rise and fall of his chest. Maybe that was it, some
throwback to their time in utero. Although it would freak him
out for her to say it.
“Greta—”
“Shh.”

Everything had slowed, finally calm. She’d wanted to say,
Don’t tell Dad, but somehow knew those words would hurt to
say out loud. So she lowered herself to her pillow and slept.

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