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Hannah snapswhen she yanks her hand away and scoots as far toward the wall of the booth as she can possibly go

I know everyone’s waiting for --but my brain isn’t equipped to deal with this situation

Isaac clears his throat "Dude, if you have a girlfriend you should’ve just told me"

"More i thetheinterested in her is suddenly disgusting

"Yes, he was And he went out with you a few nights ago Did you have the girlfriend then, too, Vane?"

"Hey, I--" I start, not sure where I’ with this

"It’s a recent development," Audra interrupts Then she leans forward and strokes ers

Not playfully

Possessively

I don’t pull away I ht even lean into her hand as ten thousand sparks shoot through my skin at her touch What can I say? I’m weak

The difference between the way ht and day Everything about theht and day Hannah’s blond hair and blue eyes are the sun to Audra’s dark-haired, dark-eyed night

"I’d like to go home," Hannah announces Her voice sounds choked, like she’s seconds fro

She doesn’t deserve this

I owe her the ure out what to say

She doesn’t wait for me to try She doesn’t even wait for me let her out of the booth She pulls her feet up on the bench and clilasses rattle as she crosses to the edge and ju for the door as soon as she lands Shelby shoves Isaac out of the booth and chases after her--shooting otta hand it to you, man You find the most unbelievable ways to ruin dates"

"I--"

He raises a hand "I’irls hoe control we need"

I nod and he turns to leave

"By the way"--he turns back and points to Audra--"Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice"

I wonder which one of us blushes brighter, ht, I force myself to meet Audra’s eyes

"You went on a date?" she snaps "Have you lost your er races back "I love how you think you can just throw on the ‘Vane’s girlfriend’ hat whenever it’s convenient for you Jerk s as soon as we’re alone All to please your precious Gale Force"

"We can’t have this conversation here"

She stalks toward the exit, and I dig my wallet out and toss all the ure Audra will behoet there But she stands againstto bore holes into my skull I’m just as furious with her, butride home, just the two of us

She doesn’t look at me as I open the door for her Just climbs in and slams it

I know my car is small But filled with me and Audra and the mountain of complicated emotions between us, it feels like a shoe box

"Why aren’t we leaving?" she asks

"You need to put on your seat belt Or do you only follow the Gale’s laws?"

Her sigh is epic length Then she fumbles with the seat belt for a hilarious a ways "How does this infernal device work?" she finally asks

I snort and lean across the seat

She jerks away "What are you doing?"

I lean closer, lued to hers as I take the seat belt froers brush her arm as I click it into place, and I hear her breath catch at my touch

"Oh," she mumbles as I back off

I throw the car in reverse

She watches the strip lass I hit the button and roll down her , grinning when she juh theand Audra stretches out her hand, waving her fingers in the breeze

"Do you have any idea what you could have done tonight?" She doesn’t look at me, and her voice is hard to hear over the wind But she doesn’t sound as angry

I sigh "I don’t buy the bonding thing"

"That’s because you’ve never experienced it"

"Have you?"

"Of course not"

We stop at a red light and I turn to face her "Then how do you know it’s not so to their kids about Santa Claus to ood all year? How do you know it’s true, if you’ve never kissed anyone?"

"Because I’ve seen the effect a bond has My mother is still bonded to my father, even all these years after his death She’s never recovered from the loss And I doubt she ever will"

Well, that’ssad But it doesn’t prove anything "Human couples have that happen too--doesn’t ht you said the bond ends at death"

"It does"

"So then, your ht not be bonded at all Maybe she just loved hi Just stares at the stars

I have no idea what she’s thinking, but I’ve never seen her look so sad I want to reach out and take her hand, but I know I can’t

The light turns green and we start ain