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Crawford shrugged “I bet most of them are terrified They don’t all have plans like we do They have to decide what’s next”

He was right, of course He alas One of the things I loved about Crawford was his confidence He didn’t worry and back away from a problem He faced it head-on and took control I felt safe with him, like he would always have the answer I needed

His hand reached over and coveredto be just e need To get out of this town but not too far away We can spread our wings and still co to love it”

And I believed his ould see and do Excitement for as to coust to arrive

Our favorite song ca along with his off-key voice He was a terrible singer, but he knew it h so he did it often Joy swelled up init was hard to contain it I began to laugh as he hit another bad note This was my life and I loved it

It was then that Crawford sla The s of wheels took away all hts Dreams vanished in that instant Completely

ONE MONTH TODAY was the one-raduation night into a night room—now more familiar to me than my own bedroom—and stared at the white walls The ss Those things didn’this eyes mattered

It would be my turn to read to Crawford soon I lived for this time of day To see him and pray he would hear ain That all our drea just outside the door of this lonely, cold place

The doctor had told his parents theafter the accident that he believed co to hiht to come back To wake up

I shivered re those words Coy Seeing him like this was so hard

The doctor believed he needed to hear several voices he knew and loved So Crawford’s , but then let ressed, her schedule had started to change as her health went downhill Seeing her only child like this day in and day out eighing on her

“Still here?” a nize the speaker Nor to check on e to Crawford and me, and he came to read, too Not every day likehe would come today He hadn’t been in a couple of days and I kneford would like to hear him

I lifted reen eyes outlined by thick black lashes—pretty eyes for a guy I’d seen those eyes before Just as I’d seen the guy they belonged to But we had never spoken

“You’re always here,” he said “There hasn’t been a day in the past teeks that I’ve not seen you”

His voice was smooth, but there was a thicker drawl to his accent than uys had in Franklin He al onrude not responding

“Nowhere else to be,” I said honestly Because without Crawford I was lost

He lifted the corner of his full lips and it looked a lot like a s like this?

“I can think of a lot of places I’d rather be But Uncle D is where my loyalty lies So here I am”

I wasn’t sure if he meant to be deep and heartfelt, but it didn’t sound that way I wondered if he was even upset about his uncle being here Not that it was uy had an air about hi way He liked himself A lot He kneas beautiful and he liked the attention it got him I’d seen his kind plenty I wasn’t a fan

“Your selflessness humbles me,” I replied with a heavy dash of sarcasm The way his eyes sparked with amusement made me dislike him more than I’d already decided I did

As he crossed his arms over his wide chest, I couldn’t help but notice the way his biceps flexed and the tattoo peeking out of his sleeve His long dark hair was a little ined it would complete his pirate look if he had it pulled back in a ponytail

“Don’tto be selfless That was neverdeeper than that But then, I don’t sit like aroom day after day and stare at that wall Selflessness is your thing Not mine”