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"You know, once, in Scouts, we took a trip to Yoseht we had to build , scraping up pine needles and leaves for insulation"

"Wow," Brayden said dryly "Great story"

And they laughed

"But the funny thing was that then e started the ca in the fire and flaring up!"

"Ohto Brayden "You rerease bomb?!"

"It was so funny, Josie," Brayden said "He saved, like, a rease He wanted to show us how to rease boave off this horrible srabbed this fire extinguisher and doused us all"

"It was crazy," Brayden said "Took us like five hours to clean it up"

And Josie laughed She was eating it up Brayden’s rough-guy, laid-back charhing at the right places

But I could see that every tied her or said her naut

There was another person who didn’t see ro extra-insolent and slouchy She had nearly thron her tray with her food and now she just sat there with her arers at Josie

After we all settled down in our plush new accommodations, I realized I’d left hts had already dimmed automatically, which meant it was after ten, but I could see, sort of, so I went to getthe Food aisle, I heard a voice

More specifically, I heard hushed laugher Astrid’s

I walked slowly, quietly I didn’t want to scare her off

But she didn’t hear ether near the iced tea She was eating the plate of food I had left out for her Barbecued chicken and corn salad with butter little bits of food off the plate

"Quit it," Astrid said "You already ate"

Jake put his hand on her knee She let it stay there and continued to eat

"I know, but it’s good"

"It’s delicious," Astrid said

I felt proud, which was kind of stupid, since it was , anyway

"You should co about you"

This wasn’t true, actually Now that motherly Josie had stepped in as h-and-tu to do with Astrid’s personality I just think it served thee in their traurowled "I told you"

"We miss you," Jake said "Well, Brayden doesn’t miss you, but Dean does"

I felt my face burn in the dark

He knew I had a crush on Astrid and Astrid did, too

"Please," she said "He’s har Now I really, really didn’t want them to knoas there

Astrid finished the food She put her finger to the sauce on the plate and licked her finger clean

She put her finger in the sauce again, but this tiet it to herin front of her, he took the plate from her

She let him

He put his hand on her neck and drew her toward him

She let him

He kissed her

She started to cry

"I miss my mom," she said "I miss my brothers And Alicia And Jaden And Rini"

"I know," Jakeher neck

"I’m scared I’m scared sick"

"Baby, we’re all scared," Jake said "Brayden and Josie made a really nice bed for you You have your own little room You should come and see it"

"I told you I can’t! I shake all the time I’m too scared I’m so scared I start to choke and I can’t breathe and I throw up! I don’t want to have to be around the to hionna be okay," Jake said

"Aren’t you scared?" she asked hionna be okay, Astrid"

"You’re not scared?"

Jake responded by kissing her harder Suddenly, they were all over each other

I knew I should back away but I didn’t

Astrid pushed him off her for a , andof me to watch, but I couldn’t, couldn’t stop

She brushed the tears aith her forearm as she unbuttoned Astrid slid her shirt off her shoulders and unclasped her bra behind her back She let the bra fall away and then she was naked from the waist up

Astrid’s body was so beautiful my throat closed up

So smooth and wonderful and soft She looked so soft A sculpture of so life

Jake reached up and touched her breasts He cupped theain?" he asked her