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"Are you all right, Ellie?"

He leans down, looking at htassureat eyelashes Thick and lengthy and ht black I bet they’re not the only part of hiaze darts down to his proh to confiruard nuh "Justyou knowtired But I’m cooltotally cool"

And I shake it off, like I actually am

He nods and steps away "I’ll fix the lock now And I’ll give you the key afterward Keep it with you; don’t lose it From now on, you lock the door behind you when you leave, and you keep it locked when you’re hoain Livvyto him It’s not my fault keys abandon me I put them in a specific spot, so I’ll knohere they are for later--and I swear to God, they sprout legs and run away

Slippery, little Houdini bastards

After I take the last pie out of the oven and set it on the cooling rack, I fly upstairs to get dressed for school I don’t have the tiirls at ot: dark jeans, a sheer pale-pink short-sleeved top with a white tank underneath, black flats and a black leather jacket I found at the consignle when I walk--like a huer, cheaper bangle bracelets on ly necklace

I don’t contour my face or fill in my blond eyebroith dark brown pencil like Kylie Jenner--I’d end up looking like that freaky female serial killer if I tried But I do use under-eye concealer--practically a whole tube of it--plus a little loss

When I hop down the back steps a few an is done with the lock and talking to our waiter Marty in the kitchen

Marty McFly Ginsberg isn’t just our e brother froay and cool as shit Marty’s the bos ? Did you hear from Liv?"

I nod "Did she send you the pic of her roohs "Like she died and went to Nate Berkus heaven" He brushes a green-tipped strand of ht?"

"Fine" I yawn "I haven’t slept yet, but that’s not news"

Marty grinds the coffee beans, fills two filters and starts brewing the first of uess He didn’t co, but it’s happened often enough that it’s not a big deal At least not to"He’s still not hoot tanked and passed out on Mulligan’s bar or one of the benches between here and there It happens souard’s eyes seem to spark--like a fire’s been lit inside hiht in the flat upstairs, all by yourself, with an unlocked fucking door on the ground floor?"

"Yeah But I had Bosco with uard dog material--unless his plan is to startle intruders to death with his so-hideous-he’s-cute face And if a burglar happens to try stealing hot dogs froe, he’ll never

"It’s not a big deal, Logan"

Logan looks at Marty and a secret, He-Man-Boy’s-Club look passes between them When he turns back to me, his face and voice are hard Definitely pissed off

"We’ll take shifts--me and the lads We can stay down here in the diner if you’re unco us in the flat, but someone will be here with you, round the clock, froain Yeah?"

I nod slowly, feeling warm fuzzies in my veins, like my blood is carbonated

"Okay"