ISSA

Me

fel to see Katrina leaning against th

ind her ear. "Just wanted to say... you

nked su

ks." I

, then let out a smile

I asked, str

t up an octave. "Yeah

. "You've got bags

ids like it was nothing. "Just tired. You try screa

rms. "Nightmares

heart falling for her. Her night

ed again?" I

t's

atri

id it's

u should talk to someone

eyes. "I don't

time. Then you stopp

htened. "It's

ok like a

ttered, trying to laugh

d away, fingers gripping t

id finally. "Just... not great

e?" I star

elieve her, but I also k

ything hurt, even when it obviously did. So inst

d?" she aske

Alm

room, her voice softer now. "We

wait," I

the rink

d. "Miss th

res. I like the nois

a second, I saw the Katrina from before. The one who

hed her face. "I'll put on co

s not th

"I'm not going back to thera

l normal again." I looked at her but not with

for needing help,

r half a second. Then she blinked

ing her throat. "Are we sit

think

d someone to h

re ridi

alked to the door

" I didn't answer, just watched her walk out. Then

en she wasn't. Especially when she was

e really we

s into the jet. "That's a whole-ass private plane! A billionaire

aid, tossing his gear bag up and flo

the back. "Where

. "We've got press in forty-eig

" someone mutte

he noise. The inside of the jet was sickkk-white leather, mood

section, Coach patted my s

Yea

amn good." I

hank

bow the ref this tim

om somewhere beh

lking. I slid into my seat....

too-familiar voi

k who I get

"Why is this

the seat beside me like he belonged there. "Or m

lear

o tall for this row, o

inch away. He notice

id, grinning. "I don't

ot in th

never

adphones. He plucked

Hey

to me for two second

"W

ment, and you're the only person not acting li

tered," I

d dead behind the eyes

ust not.

o put it." I turned

nnoying when you're

ople I like.

He cleared his throat. "Like. Like as

ly understanding what he meant,

me slightly. "You

, I'm

ears a

mid-air." He laughed under his bre

ina. She wasn't looking at me,

black jeans, black earrings. His hair was slicked bac

we got along. He respected my quiet

de Katrina, talking.

m that practiced smile she used on red

s of her mouth, the way she kept

and noticed it landed

like she hadn't been staring. I leaned my head i

frowned

" He glanced across the

n't say a

n't. She doe

didn't pick

say something else but didn't. Instead,

shouting, someone had dared Jay

e you clean this jet floor with your to

I shook my head, they just

Xavier asked a

h." I

ure?" I

worried about her." He

ollow. Her nails dug into the armrest. Lucien sai

ot okay,"

the type to talk

"N

ks." I didn

the armrest. "You could t

e her bo

my eyes for a moment, the plan

ent and I couldn't be more great