“Camel, horse, nobody gives a fuck.”
“I do.”
“You don’t count.” I shake my head and walk away. “Off to work out so I can look awesome at the party.”
“Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Does that mean I can’t shoot my way into the New York kids’ mansion?”
“What?”
“Just kidding.” I’m whistling as I wave without looking at him.
Cyrus can be tiring even in small doses, and it definitely hasnothingto do with the fact that he’s usually right.
Okay, most of the time.
Fiiine.Always.
My phone rings, and I grin as I pick up the video call from my sister.
Her face appears on the other end, soft and radiant with huge blue eyes and auburn hair that falls to her shoulders in waves.
Except for her eyes, Alina’s looking more and more like our mom, which is a blessing because this way, I feel like I’ll never forget our mother’s face.
“How’s my favorite girl?” I ask, holding the phone up as I walk out of the main entrance.
“Bored.” She pouts. “And stuck on this piece I’m working on.”
“Oh no, need me to beat some sense into someone?”
She laughs, her voice ringing all around me. “You’ll beat some sense into my brain?”
“If need be, absolutely.”
“You’re so annoying.”
“Nah, resourceful. There’s a difference.”
She rolls back, and my chest clenches when I see her in the chair, dressed in a beautiful dark-red gown. Her room appears in the background, full of posters of classical music soloists and albums. “What do you think? I’m wearing this for the recital tomorrow.”
“Stunning as usual. I wish I were there to cheer you on.”
“No, it’s better you don’t meet with Papa that often.” Her smile drops a bit before she rolls back to the camera.
My sister has been paralyzed for four years, and every time I look at her, I feel the knife I lodged deep in my soul move and slash through my very existence.
Dying a little is the correct term.
Because Alya wouldn’t be in this predicament if I were there.
If I weren’t so preoccupied with the unattainable.
The fucking lethalobsession.
“We’ll have to meet eventually,” I say, keeping my tone light.
“Well, eventually doesn’t have to be now.” She’s silent for a moment. “I wish you could stay far away forever.”
