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"Which is?" I asked, looking back at the board as I smoothed out the hem of my skirt

"You"

My lips trembled as the word left his mouth "I’m not a speci to ask him a million questions I settled for one "But I can’t know anything about you?"

Dante leaned back in his chair "My favorite author is Dante, obviously," he said, his tone h I’m also partial to the Russians I’h I especially enjoy Mussorgsky and Stravinsky or anything involving a violin They’re a bit dark, no? I used to like opera, but I’ve rown out of it I have a low tolerance for hot clih I once loved cherries My favorite color is red I often take long walks in the woods to clear e of the flora and fauna of North Aheveryone has ever told me I consider it a special talent"

Overwhel, unsure of how to respond

Dante frowned "Did I leave soht about Benjamin, about my parents This was ently

"I thought it was already decided that I didn’t have any"

"And I thought it was already decided that there was ave me a pensive look "Maybe I did have friends once"

"What happened?"

"They turned out to be different people than I thought they were"

"What do you ht they would do"

What was he talking about? "Like what?"

"Anything," he said "That’s the point"

"Does itdoes it have anything to do with Benja "Benjamin Gallow?" he said softly, so that only I could hear "What do you know about Benja," I said quietly "Just that he was dating your friend And that he died And that you found hiossip about a boy’s death"

"No! I didn’t mean to--I just--I don’t think he died of a heart attack"

Dante began to respond, but held back, takingyou’d know"

"And why are you so interested? So you can talk about it with your friends?"