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I stared at the carpet, flattening its tassels with my toe "No"

"Why not?" he said with disapproval

"I--forgot"

"I see Well, I would still encourage you to take them" Dr Newhaus crossed his ar for hiular basis"

"Oh, um…no, thank you I think I’o "Very well; it’s your decision But keep an open , he continued "Well, I don’t want to keep your young er He’s been very patient"

I froze "Young man?"

The doctor nodded and walkedfor you outside"

Dante But how could he be here at St Clé aware that my hair et and my clothes probably s over my shoulder, thanked Dr Newhaus, and slipped out the door

But when I got to the hallway, Dante wasn’t there

"Noah?" He was sitting on a bench, reading

Ihis book

"Renée," he said, studying lasses "You , I bent down and picked up his book Colorful drawings of heroes and villains filled the pages All of the dialogue was in French

"Comics?" I asked with a smile, and handed it to hihed "What’s it about?"

"Superheroes fighting the Napoleonic wars But really it’s about so muchof our existence on earth" His tone was serious, but his eyes see me "I think you’d like it"

"Why do you say that?"

"Don’t you have a superpower, too?"

I shrugged "Well, I can’t read French, whatever that’s worth"

"And her true tragic flaw is finally revealed," he teased, and stood up

"Have you been here the whole tied "I wanted to ing toincident "Thanks"

It was evening as we left the building and walked across the courtyard to the doro up to ry? I know of a really great French deli"

"What about Clementine?"

Noah’s sht But she won’t care"

Unable to help h Of course she would care

But Noah didn’t see the hu," I murmured

"So what do you think?" He tilted his head to et souilt "I can’t"

Noah stepped back "Oh, okay"

"I’m sorry I just--"

"No, it’s okay You don’t have to explain"

Feeling grateful, I nodded, and was about to turn ahen he said, "It’s a boy, isn’t it?"

"Excuse s away fro about"

"I knew you’d say that," he said with a wink "Just thought I’d try"

He held the door forhim a wave, I slipped inside I passed Cle one of her friends if they had any dinner plans I lared at , I squeezed by theht