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I want to look away but can’t The left side of htly squinty Two butterfly bandages cover where the skin is torn open in an ugly, crescent-shaped cut

For a ly dark blonde hair The notably darker eyes, a tawny broith faint ses of blue underneath Twin bruises And then there’s the ink band circlingopera and carefully styled her hair every ood as dead Strangely enough, she has to be if I want to survive

Shaking offrope, not even bothering to tie the end I let it hang down e into shorts and a cotton T-shirt

Sabine enters the bathrooainst the bathroory"

"You okay?" Her gaze travelsdrills"

"Looks worse than it is They gave me a couple Tylenol I should be fine tomorrow"

Her nostrils flare "You save us?"

"Uh, no" I fuel "It’s this Want to use it?"

She takes the bottle, looking it over as if it’s vastly interesting "Thanks" She looks up at , hopeful "It’s pretty nice here I ht?"

"It’s better than the alternative"

"Is that the only alternative then? A detention ca back down "We could run awayo to Mexico I hear that’s where lots of carriers are heading They don’t screen over there"

We? I’ in the hypothetical or not, but I feel the need to squash the notion of "us" At least when referring to the possibility of running away I look around nervously, as though we ht be overheard by soet there? We have no transportation No money" I point to my neck "I wouldn’t make it into the next town"

She nods, her wan expression all the more stark with the yellowish bruises on her narrow face "I know I heard security at the border is really tough My father looked into it He ht have risked it, ran with mebut he orried about the rest of the fas as if it’s okay that her father chose the welfare of his other children over her

"Our best shot is sticking it out here"

She waves at ht be easier for you thanabout? You speak three languages They want to keep you around, too"

She nods again, still looking miserable "I just ain after we finish here"

"You think so?"

I sht yes I don’t want to make her that prouys Sean and Gil I wish I came here with so for being so angry with Sean What was I going to do? Ask hiot into trouble? That’s not hie, he’s proven himself to be the type who helps others Gil Me He tried to help Coco, only she didn’t want it Well, I’ my attention back to Sabine, I squeeze her ar, she ducks her head and studies the bottle of shower gel again "I think I’ it back when I’, I leave the bathroouitar in a room on the second floor It’s a beautiful instrument Solid, flamed maple wood Triple-bound body inlaid with intricate rosettes My fingersthe sweet, pure sound

In the distance, I can hear pops froe Occasionally, voices drift fro on his radio to someone Next door, an instructor teaches Spanish to a handful of students Her h the wall

I already spent an hour on the piano Several other instruuitar with the requisite auess itthey went to so much trouble for me alone They must really want me to succeed But that’s not the only reason itmyself in music is a fa in here, indulging like thisout in the weight roootten how to play or sing It’s i break from the piano, and I would still be able to play it That’s what they don’t get about ht me when I was three how to play I just knew

I don’t have a choice though Dusty said I had to spend independent study in here

My fingersburied somewhere in my subconscious stirs within me Without deliberation, the s cohtly Closingthe words sweep through ain, a million miles away, I would keep raze the strings, letting the final chord reverberate through the roo after the last words die onthat final, haunting echo I’m aware of the war the air dry them

"Davy"

My eyes fly open and I spin onfuriously at my face

Sean stands just inside the rooers squeezing tightly about the guitar’s neck "Sean? What are you doing here?" His shirt clings da out

"That was beautiful"

My face heats "How long were you standing there?"

He pushes off the door "I had no idea you could sing like thatand play the guitar" He shakes his head as thoughAll my life people have reacted this way Awed I fro tiain

"No wonder you’re here You’re a"

The heat inback the e here?" I repeat