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At this point, I never want to see his face again

With Andromeda on my heels, I hike up the stairs and shut the door to low-in-the-dark stars falls off the ceiling It’s weird to be back here This used to be a safe space, but now it feels tainted Everything smells weird Dusty and artificial I think I was out in the wild for too long, because this feels like a prison, not a sanctuary Andro in this apartment At least she see, and I’ exhausted but not tired I can’t even look at ht now, instead of helping one wrong So I busy ear And I’ a pile of dirty clothes to take to the washer when I hear a soft knock on my door

"It’s open," I say flatly

My mom’s face appears in the doorway "Can I cohs, closes the door behind her, and sits on the bed next to ht now"

"You have to ad beneath her eyes "And we’ve got reasons to be angry with you, too You lied to o, you could have told me you ith Lennon"

"Did you already know?"

She fiddles with a zipper on an caer, but she didn’t tell her mother that they’d abandoned you and Lennon in the national park The glaot in touch with Mrs Reid, and they’re the ones who infor wine?"

"I wasn’t a part of that plan," I argue Mostly "It was Brett’s idea"

Mo coan’s story, and that’s when Reagan admitted that they left you and Lennon Mrs Reid called me in a panic, a couple hours before I heard from you Your dad wasn’t here, so I went next door and talked to the Mackenzies"

I groan quietly

"Yeaaahh," Mo to find out that they knew you were on the trip Lennon had told them, but you hadn’t told me It made me feel like a bad parent"

"I didn’t know before I left, honestly I knew" I hesitate, but what’s the point of lying anymore? "I knew Brett and the others would be there But I didn’t realize Lennon was co"

"But you obviously made up with him That wasn’t a friendly kiss"

"No, it wasn’t"

She sniffles "I always kneould be a ed The way he looked at you The way you looked at hi about that? You should be happy You used to like Lennon"

"I still do Quite a bit, actually"

"Then what’s the problem?"

She doesn’t answer, just pets Andro to insert herself into the conversation

Fine She doesn’t want to talk I don’t either I lift my portable telescope out of the backpack and set it on the floor Check all the pieces So stupid to think that I lugged it up and down

"Lennon and you spent a lot of time alone," my mom finally says "I hope you were safe"