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"So he threw everything away?"

"Jesus, Ophelia Open your eyes You see everything in black and white, but it’s not that simple You’ve never snowboarded You don’t kno easy it is to lose focus for one second and screw everything up"

My hands are shaking, so I shove them into the front pocket of my hoodie "You think it was just an accident? You think he just fell?"

"I don’t know Maybe Maybe not But he didn’t plan to go down like that That I am sure of"

"Don’t you think that’s a little naive? You said yourself how messed up he is"

"He is messed up and believe me, I know that better than anyone I sure as hell know better than you I’ve spent the last ten years watching hiether I was there when they found April I was there when he found hishi hard for hi on you to be there You to pick hi You’re no better than his father" She dulass on the counter, heads for the door But she stops a couple of feet from it, turns to face me "You stay away froh So you stay far, far away fro her on this, why I even care when she’s tellingas far away from Z as I possibly can

"Or that black eye you’re sporting will be the least of your probleirl But I will fking rip you to shreds"

She sla there in the middle of a suite that feels e if I’ve justinto that car with Remi

When I can’t stand it any to explode froo to ht

Everyone else knohat’s up with Z I’ to think that it’s past damn time that I did, too

Chapter 27

Z

I must have fallen asleep, because it’s pitch dark in hth my head

"It’s okay You’re okay" A soft hand strokesExcept the fingers playing withelse

I forcenext to the bed Ophelia "You ca"

"You don’t have to be sorry"

"Yeah," she tells me "I do"

"No" I reach out to her with my uninjured hand "You don’t I understood"

"Did you? Because, I’ve got to tell you, I barely understand myself"

"Remi--"

"This isn’t about Remi," she tells me forcefully "This is aboutin here with us"

"That’s not true," I tell her, squeezing her hand "I get it He’s your past--"

"And you’re my future"

I freeze, drop my eyes from hers It feels like I’ve waited my whole life to hear those four words, yet I’ve only known Ophelia a feeeks

"You don’t believe me," she says

"It’s not that"

"Sure it is That’s the second thing this is all about The injuries The daredevil stuff You don’t think you have a future, and even if you do, you don’t think you deserve to have anyone of your own in that future"

"That’s not true"

"Really?" She holdsinto a color I’ve never seen before A cool, clear jade that is as resolute as it is beautiful "Prove it"

"Excuse me?"

"I said, prove it"

"How aesture to the hospital bed and ainst my ribs

"You know very well how"

Panic wells up insideNo, what she’s deht I don’t So make me understand"

I shake my head "It’s not that easy" I can’t tell her I can’t say the words