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Sam takes a break and watches from the side with Bernie Kosar

"You’re better than that, Johnny Show ood stuff already," she says after she upends e her, closing the gap between us in a tenth of a second I throw a left hook but Six blocks it, taking hold ofmy momentum to toss , but she doesn’t let go ofround

She wraps her arainst her chest She sticks her face against mine and playfully kisses me on the cheek Before I can react she kicks the back of rass My arms are swept out from under me and I’m flat on my back Six easily pins me, and she’s so close I can count the hairs on her brow Butterflies flood my stomach

"Okay," Saood You can let him up now"

Six’s smile widens, and er before she leans back and hefts me up by my shoulders

"My turn with Six," Sam says

I take a deep breath, then shake my arms to rid them of their jitters

"She’s all yours," I say,a beeline towards the house

"John?" Six says just as I reach the back door

I turn, trying to taht of her "Yeah?"

"We’ve been in this house for a week now I think it’s ti on to"

For a second, after what just happened I think she’s talking about Sarah

"The Chest," she says

"I know," I say, and I enter the house, sliding the door behinddeep breaths, trying to figure out what just happened out in the yard

I go to the bathroom and splash cold water on my face I stare into theat Six like that I tellto worry about because Loriens love one person for life If Sarah is my one love, then Six is simply a crush

Back in my room I lie on my back, fold my hands acrosseach one in for a five-count before exhaling out my nose

ThirtySa room The only place I could find to hide my Chest in the house was in the utility closet, on top of the hot water heater I struggle getting it out,as little noise as possible Then I tiptoe back tothe door behind rab hold of the lock It quickly war on an alhtly It’s never done that before I reach in and re Henri’s ashes and his letter, still in its sealed envelope I close the lid and relock it I know it’s stupid, but I feel like I’ the letter he left behind Once the Chest is open, and once the letter is read, he’ll have nothing left to tellmore than a memory I’m not ready for it yet

I open the closet where my clothes sit in a pile, and I bury the coffee can and letter under the in the hallway to listen to Sa a show online called Ancient Aliens Sa Six about all the alien theories he knows and Six quickly confirs of Katarina Saal pad, which then breeds s her shoulders at Sa parallels to what he already knows

"The pyramids of Giza? They were built by the Loric?"

"Partly us, but adorians"

"What about the Great Wall of China?"

"Humans"

"Roswell, New Mexico?"

"You know, I’ve asked Katarina that once and she had no idea So I don’t know either"

"Wait, how long have the Mogadorians been co as we have," she says

"So, like, this war between you two, is it new?"

"Not necessarily What I know is that both sides have traveled to Earth for thousands of years; sometimes ere here at the same time, and from what I understand,happened that ruined the relationship, and the Mogadorians left for a very long time Beyond that I don’t knowback"

I cross the living roo-roo e flutters I sure we ins rubbing his hands with a crazy look in his eyes

"Jeez, Sam," I say "You look like you’re about to murder somebody"

"Oh, co me with this Chest for almost a month now and I’ve been patient and I’ve kept , but how often do I get to see the treasures frouys at NASA would die to be sitting where I a so into this"