Like he always remembered something.
He left through the window. The way he always did.
But at the sill he stopped and looked back.
“Ro.”
“Yeah.”
“I meant it.” His voice was low. Serious in a way he rarely let himself be. “What I said. About your family.” A pause.
“About needing them.”
He held my eyes for a long moment.
Then he looked down. Like he was deciding something.
Like he was standing at the edge of something and hadn’t made up his mind yet.
But I was always stuck at the edge with him, waiting for one of us to jump off.
“Cassian —"
“I need you so much, Ro.”
Quiet.
Simple.
Like it had been sitting in him for a long time and just — came out.
He didn't look up when he said it.
And he was gone before I could answer.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
SIXTEEN YEARS OLD
• • •
He said I need you so much and then disappeared.
Gives you everything and then acts like he didn’t.
Except this time I couldn’t let it sit.
This time I needed to see him.
• • •
The next day after school, I go to Cassian’s house.
As I walk up to the door, something stops me.
I’ve never knocked on this door before.
Not once.
