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The knock couest"

For a h me that it’s one of my old friends Then reality sinks in No one wants to see me And there’s no one I want to see No one who can take this awaywho can ain

"I don’t want to see anyone," I call out

Moh the door "Davyplease"

Guilt seeps insideto her What I have done But then the eain

"No," I say loudly, sharply, in a tone I never use with hter who s ever happened to ain, letting the whirring blades mesmerize me

I start at another knock on my door It’s different Solid Two raps in swift succession I scowl and glance froain, intent on ignoring the person on the other side

"Go away!"

I gli of the door peripherally, fronored ue

And then I turn and my annoyance pivots into a coaze arrows directly on lance He stares only athere?" I watch him warily

"I heard that they cas over the side ofless vulnerable that way The suddenmy head, I wait for the dizziness to pass My hair falls forward, the blonde strands covering auze wrapped around h

"I thought I would check on you"

I open ainst your philosophy? Never get involvedBe strong and tough and all thatan island unto hiives my taunt no reaction

I notice Mo wide-eyed and uncertain, her hands locked together in a death grip, her knuckles white Herif it’s okay for this boy to be here--an imprinted carrier My lips curl in a suess that just indicates how at a loss she ishow desperate

Of course, I could tell her it’s not okay That he’s just as dangerous as the iaze fixes on the wide band around his neck, seeing it in a new light Now, more than ever, I want to knohat he did to deserve itif he did anything at all

"It’s fine, Mo, I stride across the roo me privacy with Sean Normally, my parents don’t letis normal anymore

I move back a few steps into the roo for hiauze"

I wait a beat and crosshim "So I’ve been told You didn’t need to come here to tell et an infection?" He shakes his head alusted withbathroom I watch his back as he stands at the sink and turns the water to warm A bottle of antiseptic still sits on the counter where Mo with some little nail scissors

He pulls out the bench in front of my vanity chair and hs, sounding tired "Get in here"

"What?" I snap "Are we friends because we’re alike now? Is that it?"

His gaze meets mine in the mirror "First of all, just ’cause we share the same tattoo hardly makes us alike I still have an identity So do you There are plenty of imprinted carriers out there Don’t mistake us as all the saerous as the Agency says"

And what is he? Is he truly dangerous?

"And secondly" His voice fades and I wait, expecting him to add that we are friends now With a start, I realize I want to hear him say that I want a friend I need a friend Nowstupidly hopeful

"Secondly, stop asking so et over here I’m already late for work"

I dropafter another Grudgingly, I sink onto the cushioned bench and stare atwhat he sees

My hair is a ood wash The gauze around er a pristine white Rusty streaks stain the bandage I would never have been caught dead looking like this before Before "Before" doesn’t exist anyether In control I inhale I couldn’t be that girl anymore, but I could take back so to happen toat Sean’s profile, I get the i happens to him without his consent Even with the imprint on his neck, he’s somehow in control

I inhale a deep breath and facefor the last twenty-four hours I nod at hi h me so no-nonsense that I blink "It’s not the end of the world"