Anyone would think I’m walking into battle.“Don’t worry; I’ll be quick.”
Worry carves itself deeper around his eyes, pinching his mouth.
With no curtains to hold it back, light floods the room, casting a spotlight on the cramped space.
It’s all too easy to picture myself here.
The couch pushed into the corner, facing the windows so that I can start every day watching the sun rise over the city.A bookshelf on the opposite wall, with a jar of spare hair ties to replace the ones I’m always losing, and a dish for my keys because I’ll forget them if they are anywhere else.An oven I’ll never use and a sink I’ll pretend I’m not eating over when I’m in a rush.
Candles in the bedroom, perfect for nights when I get sleepy before eight p.m.
Losing this place is awful.
But I’m going to.I can see it in the eyes of everyone else.They see what I see.They are imagining themselves here.
And I can’t let them.
An idea strikes me.This is an older building—beautiful, yes, but showing signs of wear.Cracks in the paint, grout that will never be white again …
It probably hasn’t had the plumbing updated since 1992.
Did I mention my dad is a plumber and used to take me on jobs after school because we couldn’t afford babysitting?And that I learned everything I could ever want to know about how to fix—and subsequently break—the pipes in a bathroom?
It wouldn’t even be a break.Just a small, inconvenient obstruction.Carefully placed to buy me some time.
* * *
Make Your Choice:
embrace your inner rebel(go to 44)
maybe you shouldn’t(go to 77)
go back(go to 30)
I turn to go, and Sterling’s hand wraps around my wrist.
“All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be safe.”
Everything I’ve ever known tilts and falls away when Sterling gathers my face in his palms and kisses me.I gasp.The brush of his beard on my cheek is real.The softness of lips against mine isn’t imagined.
“What—”
He grabs my hand.Candlelight shimmers in his gaze.“There’s no time to explain, but you have to know I’ll follow you anywhere.”
We run.
It’s easier than I thought it might be.I hide in shadows and behind coves, and no one questions Sterling commanding orders.We get to the stables.There, this stallion, Rogue, greets us, butting his head against mine.
“Just one.It’ll be safer.”
Sterling doesn’t waste time fitting a saddle, using his long legs to project him onto Rogue’s back and reaching down to pull me up behind him.We take flight, galloping out of the stables, through the orchards and into the forest as fast as we’re able.
We make it to the cottage before sunrise.It’s empty, but there is wood by the fire and freshly picked food in the pantry.We can’t stay long.
Sterling starts a fire, the long line of his back giving away nothing.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”I press my fingers to my lips.“All this time, we could have …”
