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Was it possible that e had discovered eternal life, and were killed because of it? Or maybe they hadn’t been killed After all, hadn’t I seen Miss LaBarge at her own funeral? Driving a gray Peugeot down the streets of Montreal? My chest trembled as the impossible suddenly became possible: maybe she and my parents had used the secret and were now i his throat thrust me back into the world Startled, I spun around to find Noah standing by my chair

"Hi," he said, his voice deep and smooth like the low notes of a cello

Today he was the color of apple cider--his wool sweater, his hair Embarrassed, I averted my eyes toward theOutside, the courtyard was croith students hanging out around the fountain

"Why do you always turn pink when I talk to you?"

I felt row hotter "There, now I’hed "Do you want to get a coffee?"

"Oh, no," I said quickly, pulling h o to the waterfront and wait for Dante

"Busy hat?"

"Oh--u out my chair with a little bow

I made my way into the hallway, Noah on my heels After a moment I turned around "You see"

Noah was closer than I expected, his face inches away from mine "Why do you say that?" His breath arm as it tickled my nose "Aren’t I allowed to walk in the hallith you?"

"Of course," I said, caught off guard

"But you’re right," he adlasses "I wanted to talk to you Is that so bad?"

I tiltedhim a suspicious look

"Okay, I’ll confess I do have an ulterior motive"

"Which is?"

"I’ll tell you over coffee," he said

"I have a boyfriend, you know"

"And I have a girlfriend," he said "How presu"

I narrowed , or if that’s just the way he was

"So we’re both taken," Noah said "Now that that’s understood, we can just be friends And as friends, I’d like to ask you to have a hot beverage with me"

I couldn’t help but s around the streets of the old port, just talking and laughing, so I hadn’t done in a while Noah was frohborhood on the other side of Mont Royal His parents were professors and Monitors "They’re very opinionated," Noah stressed "They love to argue about politics"

I didn’t tell him much about myself; only the pertinent details: I was frorandfather in Massachusetts I preferred listening to Noah tell me about his life, which sounded sunny, happy It reo

Listening to him talk about which café had the best coffee in Montreal, I realized that we didn’t have to talk about matters of life and death I could shed that Renée, even if just for a few hours, and stroll down the winding streets and debate whether or not hockey was better than basketball or why Mada Mr Pollet Monsieur Po-lay

We were about to turn in to a bakery, when I saw the flash of a woman’s face across the street

I froze as Noah went ahead, the bells on the door ringing as he pushed it open The woman now had her back tofor her to turn around

"Renée?" Noah said fro?"

The cars stopped as the traffic light changed to red Slowly, the wo her face to mine

Stunned, I looked away

"It’s her," I said to Noah, trying to control e My old philosophy professor froust"

"What?" he said, letting go of the door It swung shut, rattling the shade on the