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re

hadow trailing behind

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n

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name of

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't a su

tter than t

you'r

des parked across the street fro

spoken a word sinc

sure he e

when the clock s

ep out int

ine and ba

a mo

still on t

n the wet

e you made a decision without A

you

er the café

s like cinnamon and somethi

is golden a

versation wraps around y

come here ev

our name wa

body didn't bel

to the booth

omile with

nd the mug like it might

en mi

fo

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thing sto

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ing in yo

too sharp

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len

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as

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to make you feel like you were st

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smi

oo

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voice peop

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st

u

the empty seat

ay

itate t

ou nod

s

like a tr

g fraying ope

m your tea cu

tch it ins

n't recognize

til I saw the way you held your cup. Y

lance

that thing w

red," he adds

o

accu

irely forgi

er a sm

ill on

.. complicat

ated," h

like he's trying to ta

s you mor

f his gaze makes

u okay?

on't

re

w do you e

e you used to love tha

to

meone

safe but feels l

in velvet still feels

ibrates agai

lance

me

n

know who

e tou

heart

ips ove

e flicker in

row f

s that?

casu

inno

e phone int

ce

s no

eans ba

iet for

never did learn

on't

a

e he's

dance barefoot in his apartment at midnight and

girl

u stand

rise

urse

with you

falling in

bruised

s the

k Merced

ne r

ows

ces at

n a

t ask who

clenches lik

it," he s

ay... I'll help y

nod

o

ti

he doo

ide back i

door

s the car disapp

in his eyes that you

t

rian

t know he'

cours

-hair slightly damp from her shower, spine drawn tau

told her

r really left wi

texts once

e comes the momen

as

is enough to so

on the man's face that m

e backseat of a second

security feed on a

s s

ion

cul

s from her like

allowed to loo

tches her

s her

es he

jaw

always a

onest with

es across the e

sends t

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't need

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ready

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doesn't

es

the curb. Offered

breathe

as

is eve

edge of the

een goe

't get any closer,"

touch him

s,

or shu

n lea

treet beyond

d on hi

ly against the tattoo in

le

he first time

eak it just to see if it wou

n't unde

to belong to s

she

ch at

El

move for a

coat, watching the space where her car used to be like it might come

e silence when she's trying to bury something. But everything else-

et curls, dragging in a breat

body like a locked box. And whoever was texting her-whoe

your chest or fury. Both feel t

a minute-mostly to breathe. It smells like cinnamon and o

your head. No, you're not staying.

. Her tea still sits there. Barely

the faint smudge of lip balm on the rim of her mug. It

phone. Type a message.

you doi

come after her. She di

es before she left-it w

n your text thread with her. Land

me lookin

ack then and thinking, Yo

idn't. Maybe sh

hand, keys clenched too tight. You should go home. You have work in the mor

nds move on

ling to life. Pull out into traffic,

t have a

e never n

n now. And you know every gallery in the city. E

start

mething's

s walking through-you'

never lets y

eone else a

elen

our reflection faint and tired in it. You don't remember giving the driver an address. You

rs twitch

gain, like repetition will make it feel true. But there was a moment-ju

ou re

ur hands, a smear of cobalt across your cheek. Elias was sitting on the floor, back against the wall, a sketchbook bal

tly, eyes flicking up from the page.

ed your eyes. Cal

lap. The smell of graphite and vanilla. His lips in your hair. His ha

is," he whispered.

he d

ither

your coat pocket. You yank yourself back into the p

ew me

There n

like you know the weig

. What did he

on't. For the accusation curled beneath them, barely veiled. Adria

r fingers m

d help me. N

ly come

ause now I

tomach

ging open without sound. Every stone of the mansion looms larger in the rain, regal

, and already, Adrian knows the

he'll ta