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My jaent slack and I shook ht as gee "Show me," he said

"Show me yours first," I countered

"Not a chance"

This was stupid He had to know I still loved him But whatever; if he wanted to see, I’d show hiuard down As always, it felt strange Kaidan’s arms dropped and his jaw softened My heart raced as if I were naked in public, showing him what must have been a torrent of e to chance before reelingthat boyish vulnerability ahis features into the fa his arms

He jutted out his chin "How do I know those colors are h!

"They’re for you," I assured hi

"If that’s so, then what I said before still holds We can’t be friends"

"Fine," I said with a twist inet to be a jerk about it!"

He lifted his hands out to his sides in frustration "You act as if we can have a relationship, Anna We can’t!"

My hands tightened into fists at my sides "You think I don’t know that? I’er and Blake find times when they can talk You’re not the only one who hates his life This year has sucked!"

I juie board drifted over and hit us on the ankles, chased by a boy in swim trunks Kaidan picked it up and handed it back Weme a chance to calm We ended up at the pier with its Ferris wheel painted in a faded rainbow of colors It was afternoon and the sun was hot and bright e left the sand and walked on the wooden boardwalk Fa skater boys loitered around the carnival entrance, s trick moves Kaidan led us past the the air

"Ever been on a Ferris wheel?" he asked a attendants

"Let me find a restroom first," I said

"Loos are by the entrance I’ll meet you back here"

It took a few minutes, but I found it On ht of Kaidan talking to a girl in front of a game booth I stopped to watch as he handed over soirl, a short and curvy Latina with satiny black hair, leaned over the booth to watch A lacy black thong peeked out of the back of her hip-hugging shorts I had to give Kaidan props for not ogling He tossed the balls one after another, hitting the nearly iets with ease, irl cheered and pointed to a pink teddy bear, which the attendant pulled down and handed to her with a frown