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“Or it’s a decrepit old o”

“You’re right Thatour breath her into the sky Froray sand, the roller coasters with people screa as they ride them, the stretch of boardith all its colors and movement and life

“My parents took me here for my birthday when I was a kid,” I say “One of my few happy memories of the three of us Maether, and afterward I ate cotton candy and got it stuck in my hair We watched people fish and we played in the sand It was my one truly perfect day”

Adam is silent for a round “What happened to your parents?” he finally asks

I close my eyes, the memories replaced with much darker ones I never talk about what happened, and I don’t know if I can find the words to do so now But I’ve told Ada else, and maybe with this one last piece, he’ll finally understand

“Papá drank a lot, and he was angry all the tihts he’d come home and take it out on me and Mamá Mostly my mother Mamá tried to protect me, and most of the time she could, but…”

I rub the face of ht back tears “One night he—he wouldn’t stop, and he had a golf club, and there was blood everywhere” Now that I’ve started, I can’t hold back, the words bursting out ofto kill her I juht him, but I was only seven, and he hit me with the club I fell, and he—he kept—”

My body shudders from the vibrant memory and Adam wraps his ar “Mamá stopped him She wouldn’t let hi the entire time The dispatcher could barely understand me But in that minute it took me to call, he hit her in the head, over and over The police caone”

I buryto breathe, and let the pain wash throughmy back “It’s not your fault,” he says into my hair

I pull back and meet his eyes “Adam, I’m just like him I lose control and hurt people too I’ve tried er always co like hiainst mine His hand slides up to brush a stray tear off my cheek

Our lips touch, and the kiss starts soft and slow, but then it grows stronger, our hands clinging to each other We kiss like we only have seconds left in this world, like we’re running out of time and this moment has to last for an eternity

“Hey, lovebirds, ride’s over,” a e rocking slightly I unpeel rabs my hand as soon as we’re both out and flashes me a smile

We reach the end of the pier where three old ainst the railing across froainst the pier The Pacific Ocean stretches before us but I can’t see the horizon, only darkness and then a sprinkle of stars

“Why would anyone fish here?” Adam asks as one of theto distract o with it anyway “I don’t know It has to be toxic”

“Maybe the beach is cleaner now?”

“Yeah, right”

The wind picks up, tanglinginto my eyes “You’re so beautiful”

“You’re pretty cute with those glasses too” As soon as I say it, I realize I’ to earlier in the day Adahs, and I know he remembers that moment too