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“I’ will help,” I told her

“Maybe not creepy men from the street,” she said

“Maybe not anyone,” I said “Maybe I’ o back home Return to my mom”

“If you’re not happy here…”

“No, no I a I’dto do anything for that Seriously This is what I want”

“It doesn’t sound like any kind of life,” Ritashadows across our faces So pencil after pencil I could picture the shavings, filtering off to the carpet below

“It’s just what I have to do right now,” I said, mostly to myself “It’s just what I have to do”

The walk back to s and back were aching with fatigue as I dropped my shoulders forward and paced across the sidewalk I keptto see any opinions of me etched into their expressions Not that I was often seen Not that I was often acknowledged

In al an invisible life in the middle of a desert On the days I was allowed to e toward the sea, I felt the ocean winds blast across my face and inhaled the salty air On those days, I remembered who I was, or who I had been

And then, I returned to the nothingness ofto sustainas I could

Chapter 4

Rami

“How did it go last night?” Ali off in front of us The foa hi coffee for the first time