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It starts to drive ht on "Okay, fess up Where did you and Laylen go?" I lie down onaze locked on "

"So are you two friends again, then? I really hope so because this jealousy,old"

He chuckles under his breath then lies down on the bed besideold, wasn’t it" He drapes his ar

"It feels like you’re keeping so my cheek on my hand so I can look at hi will be alright"

My heart ht before we died "How do you know that for sure?"

"I just do"

"Alex" I move a pillow out of my way and scoot closer to him In response, he puts a hand on ers splay acrosswarms inside me, in a different yet equally--maybe even better--way than it normally does, but the sensation bafflesthe Blood Proht?"

His expression is unreadable as he grabs s it over his ht now I just want to lay here with you and do soetover his and then aze "What did you have in mind?"

"I just want to have nor on the small of my back, and he pushes me closer to him "Just for a second" He pauses then utters, "I won’t let it happen" he says it th ofhappen to you"

As his hands slide up to n, I’ And when he kissesoryourself die in a blissful, loving, perfect ht feel that way right now

Chapter 38

I wake up to an e deep in my bones I feel wired, like my peaceful dream has rejuvenated le drop of sparks in o looking for Alex The house is quiet and I assume everyone is asleep As I step into the hallway, I notice right away that soht Not only can I feel no presence of Alex, I can hear a heart beating from somewhere nearby At first I think it’s ers to my pulse, the rhythht on downstairs, so I go down there, the heartbeatroom, but the sofa is empty and the kitchen to the side ofcatcheson the coffee table My stomach drops as I pick it up, tear it open, and take out the paper inside it I think part of me has an idea of what it is before I read it and this sickening feeling builds in ive me a headache

Gemma

I know you may not understand why I have to leave, but I need you to try I don’t believe that your end comes when you think it does I believe there’s another way, and I’ to do whatever it takes to find it--find a way to save you But I can’t do it while I’ what I feel, but if I let it all out and you end up feeling the same way, then I know it’ll be the end for both of us And I can’t let that happen

I will always save you, noon until I do

Yours forever,

Alex

The letter slips fro for air My stout

I will always save you

How can he leave me? I can’t live without hioing to throw up and I think Idawns one into Laylen’s roo the blankets off as I turn the lights on "What are you doing?" he asks, rubbing the tiredness fro toward his bed "Please tell etic expression says it all "I’m sorry"

"But you’re supposed to tellnot to cry "That’s e do--we help each other out"

He sighs, throwing the blanket off hile his lean body, but not this tied I can feel it insideprickle in the back of my neck, and the heart beat that won’t stop "I couldn’t tell you this" He pats the bed for h I’m still upset "He needed to leave… it was too hard for hi off what he felt for you And if he stuck around, he worried you’d kill each other and nobody wants that to happen This is for your own good even if you can’t see that right now"

"But he thinks he can find a way to save me and I think it’s a lost cause"

Laylen draws me to him and kisses my forehead "You never know Maybe he will… And I sure as hell hope he does"

I trace the fresh wound on the palm of my hand asfrom, but it doesn’t make the empty void inside ht not ever see hiain

"Do you knohat he proht and maybe it will" He pauses "He told one Andhappened to you"

"I don’t need to be watched," I say, upset "I can take care of o," he says, forcing a playful tone "And precious cargo needs to be taken care of"

"I’o I’m destructive Without me, there would be no star, and therefore, there would be no problems"

He leans back so he can look me in the eye "That’s why he told me to keep an eye on you He didn’t want you to sink into this sad pit of despair because he was gone He has this theory that even though you guys aren’t supposed to be close because of the star, he also thinks that separation is bad for you… that it y, and makes you depressed"