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Corrado put his ar at Haven in approval before leading her away Haven remained in place for aif she even knew the person in front of her anymore He seemed so different, fron His sluly oblivious to anything in the world around him

Haven took a few steps in his direction but stopped again when he broke his stance, grabbing a rose frorave He crouched down in front of the headstone and laid the rose on the ground before running his fingers along the words engraved on the hite ain, her curiosity fueling her, but stopped after a few steps when realization struck He had once told her his mother was in Hillside

Her heart pounded rapidly as she suddenly felt like she was invading his privacy Thein front of his piano, slu on the anniversary of her death cah her chest

She immediately took a step back

Carmine must have sensed her movement, because his body stiffened at that h as if on alert So in the atmosphere shifted--the afternoon sun disappeared behind a thick cloud, encasing the ce Haven’s dress and causing a shiver to run the length of her spine

It felt like it happened in slowacross the way She finally saw his face, taking in the deep frown on his lips and dark bags under his bloodshot eyes His blank expression changed as he stared at her, distinctive e inside of her Shock, disbelief, confusion, desperation, fear, longing, hope, sorrow, griefall of it hit Haven at once as she stared at the broken boy she had once given her heart to--a heart she had never quite got back

She loved him, just asreflected back at her, it all ca that was different, despite everything that felt unfamiliar, despite the pain and heartbreak, the love was still there

Finally, soain

He hesitantly took a step toward her, hisHaven to break into a run She kicked her shoes off in the grass as she sprinted in his direction, shaking and crying as she raht into hi and wrapped his ar a few steps from the force of the collision His body violently shook as a strangled sob tore from his chest

Neither spoke, the lu to escape but cries She closed her eyes as he held her, reveling in his familiar scent and body warround was beneath his feet, she felt secure in his ar had come down to that moment, in that place, where she finally felt like she was hoain

He was her ho they stood between his parents’ graves, clinging to each other, all of their hurt, and pain, and heartache expelled through each shuddering breath, each salty tear staining their cheeks It could have been minutes or hours, but it felt as if tiain

"La

The words sent a pang of longing through her body, and she closed her eyes as the electricity of his touch coursed through her veins "Oh, Carmine"

He pulled back to look at Haven, his face ith tears and hair a disheveledas her fingers got tangled in a stiff nest of hair product "Your hair"

A sad sh he didn’t respond, she knew he understood He reached out and wiped the tears fro closed froently exploring her face, before he tucked a ard strand of hair behind her ear

Wiping his tears, Haven explored his facethe ser across it She had never seen it before "You have a scar"

"You’re beautiful" He cracked a smile as the blush rose into her cheeks "You still blush, too"

"You stilla suit"

Glancing down at hirimaced "I still hate them, but it’s a funeral" His voice cracked on the word and he turned away, taking a deep, calculated breath He gazed past her at soh heels"

"I still hate the his words "You’re not wearing Nike’s"

"I wish I was," heshoes hurt h "You still say that word"

"What word?" He raised his eyebrohen she didn’t respond "I guess you still don’t use it"

Haven shrugged

They stood there for a while longer trading observations It ht of the circu They s that had changed in their absence as the comfort and familiarity settled back in Countless tiain, ht possibly say in response, but she never considered that it would be so seaed, and it was obvious, as she stared into his deep green eyes, that there was a darkness lurking inside of hiht have been broken, but his soul re hi in her heart exactly who he was fro

He was Carmine Marcello DeMarcoand even broken, he was beautiful

"I can’t believe you’re here," he said, pulling Haven into his arain He buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply "This has to be a fucking dream"

"It’s not a drea?"