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Without my brother around

What the fuck should I do?

I lift my beat-up copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare froht, I shoved Dylan’s note between the pages to remind myself that Dylan can never be mine, no matter how much I want him

After a few e with Dylan’s perfect handwriting and close the book I have to knohat he wants, even if this is the biggest mistake I will ever make

The house is dark, quiet at this ti, and my brother is still at the party Dylan left to meet me I throw on a chunky sweater and a scarf before I leave the house It’s early January, too cold to meet Dylan outside

After I slip between the hedges, I use the er to these woods, but knowing the trails doesn’t ht An owl hoots from a distance, followed by other ani sounds

A chill runs downwith his back to me, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his North Face jacket

“Where’s Sloan?”

Dylan turns around His dark curly hair is cut shorter than usual, gelled to keep it off his forehead He lets out a deep breath, his focus on his shoes as I stop in front of him

“He’s at the party, probably staying the night with a girl”

My heart ha it iht, which terrifies me I have never spent , aard silence passes between us

“I hate myself,” Dylan says in a hushed tone that’s filled with pain

“Why?”

His eyes lift toaround behind Sloan’s back”

“I can turn around and forget you askedto my brother”

Dylan claspsmy skin fro in the scent of the cloves on his breath and his spicy cologne that I have colassy when the ht hits them

He lowers his head “I shouldn’t be here”

“Where should you be?”

He releases s “Not here, that’s for sure”

“Go back to the party, then”

I turn to walk away, and his fingers touch mine “Stay,” he pleads “Please”