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"No I don’t" He drops his finger and returns his attention toup toive you a break for one day, but they’ll come down hard on you if you don’t turn up to down hardimprinted, what’s left? What’s worse? Unlike a few other states, Texas hasn’t started i internment camps, virtual prisons from all reports

I watch him in the mirror as he tends to my neck with efficient entleness I did not expect "Did you have someone do this for you? Look after you when you were imprinted?"

"No I did ith the bathroom door"

"They s "Just bringing souess Two of them were already imprinted I was the third I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before the other two are"

"You’re all carriers?"

"Marlene--" His gaze flicks to ets paidkids that are carriers And she’s not afraid of us Her brother’s a carrier He’s in prison"

"I see"

"No You don’t" He shrugs like that’s no big deal "You can’t even wrap your head around any of it" He glances at my bedrooht Naturally Even though I’ about his life makes sense to me For starters, I can’t see how anyone would open her home to multiple ihtened of letting you all into her house? I mean even with her brotheranyone would be"

"True Marlene isn’t anyone though She doesn’t scare easily Besides, since she took us in, no one has broken into her house She says we’re the best security systeain

He sets the washcloth down and stares at me The proximity, our closeness, makes me nervous, but I don’t move

"Why did you co any of this for me?"

He doesn’t answer for a while, just looks atunder a microscope "Because I know this is hard for you Harder than it ever was forof myself as worse off than him--if that’s what he even means It makes me feel all the more alone

"How so?"

"You have s one shoulder "I was a kid when I learned I was a carrier I was already parentless Poor No future Hard to hit bottori who showed up here today when I needed so who marched into the bathroo who picked me up when I was stranded and out past curfew

A " You’re here

For a reason I still don’t understand, he ca my own family, and they kind of have to be there for me when I live in the same house with them He’s the only one ent out of his way to see me Not only are ot iauze "I didn’t say that for your pity"

"I’ it because I pity you--"

He snorts and rises to his feet "No? Ever since we first met, you’ve either looked at me with fear or pity"

"Okay Maybe that’s true" I speak hurriedly as he heads for the door, aware that he’s about to leave and I’ain, and suddenly I don’t want to be alone "But you’re not nothing If you’re saying you’re nothing, thenwhat does that make me?"

He stops I stare at his back I hold ht out ofwhy he came here in the first place

Then he turns With just a few strides, he’s in front of me My heart thumps hard and fast as he reaches for my face, cups it with one hand And then he answers me with one word Just a breath A whisper

My heart seizes inhis arm, he turns and leaves ers on the air, in my head

Perfect

Juilliard Dance, Drama, Music

The Juilliard School, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023

To Ms Davina Hamilton:

We have been alerted of your recent HTS status and must, unfortunately, revoke our offer of admission As you know, entrance into Juilliard is extre students vie for a place at the School, and it is the Office of Adain entry Clearly, you no longer possess the necessary qualifications to be included a those ranks

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