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Silently I was grateful to --but I still needed to do this onAustin and me some space

I stepped away from the door and led him down the steps so she couldn’t eavesdrop either, because I wouldn’t put it past her, not if she was anything likeher ear to the door so she could listen to ere saying

We had to cross the street to reach his car, which e, and I tried not to stare, butin the bird and its feathers, andover every tiny detail Tyler had put into it Self-consciously, I wondered if Austin knew that his brother had drawn the birdcage or that it was meant forthe other for as probably only a few seconds but for what felt like hours Austin rubbed the thick shadohiskers along his jaw that used to be the finest of stubble, and I crossed my arms,I kept looking away to avoid his eyes and his face, pretty ave ain

"Cathis throat loudly

And with that, any nerves or worry that Ievaporated Maybe it was hearing his voice again, because at least that hadn’t changed all thatso incredibly insensitive to start off our very first conversation, but suddenly I couldn’t see hi but plain old Austin anymore Older, yes, but still just a stupid boy who said stupid things when he opened his mouth "Cat? Really? You drove all this way to talk about Cat?"

Had I forgotten that about his, not because he didn’t care, but because he was so totally oblivious?

"I mean, no Of course I didn’t" He shifted so soely pathetic God, he couldn’t even talk to me; he could barely look me in the eye at all "It’s just that she wanted to coht it was a bad idea I thought I should see you first"

Inside, in a place where Austin couldn’t see, where he’d never knohat thisinto a ments It wasn’t like I didn’t know this already, that ere really-truly-completely over, Austin andto say to e the fact that I was pissed at hio on with his life with Cat, of all people! I didn’t realize I was crying until I heard oddaive up on , I hit him, but it wasn’t a real hit, and we both knew it My fist struck hi down both sides of s ere supposed to do with her?"

I felt his aro around me, and even that wasn’t the saat all I felt like a little kid who’d skinned her knee, and Austin was just trying towas, I didn’t want to be comforted Not by him I writhed inside the circle of his ar I rip tightened Understandable, I guess, since in the old days I would’ve wanted him to keep hold of me To wait out my stubbornness

But not now

I shoved harder "Get Off," I de sure he understood I meant it this time

When he released me, my faced felt flushed, but not in an attractive, you-just-ross, but I didn’t care I wiped my nose on the back of my hand

Just then Tyler’s car pulled to a stop behind Austin’s Austin barely seeer brother, but Tyler was all I noticed now I hadn’t realized how close I’d been standing to Austin until Tyler got out of his car and his dark eyes ain

I sed hard as I took a step back, wishingI’d never come out here in the first place

But Tyler didn’t skip a beat He nodded at me like ere old buddies rather than the kind of people you stay up half the night drawing chalk masterpieces for as he jerked his backpack from his backseat

When he approached Austin on the sidewalk, he didn’t step around him like a normal person would have Instead, he bu his older brother out of his way

"What’s your problem?" was all Austin said as Tyler passed hi frouess neither was the shoulder-bu

After Tyler had slaain, Austin turned his attention back to me and beneath his breath muttered, "Jesus, Kyra, this is really hard for lancing up to their house to see if Tyler was in there, watching us