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“Malik,” she said quietly, tapping his chin with her finger “You have no idea howto know you and your family these past feeeks By that I mean mostly you,” she paused “And not Zafina”

Malik gave a laugh and smiled at her “So have I,” he chuckled out

“I know, but…” she paused, sitting up straight so she could look at hi to know you You’ve opened up to me like few people ever have When you showed me your favorite places, and the statue of the couple, and all these movies… It just…”

Don’t

“Well, it just…”

Amie, don’t be an idiot!

“It made me really, well, like you”

Her eyes ide as soon as she heard herself say the words, and suddenly she found herself setting down her glass and playing with her hair, solely to avoideye contact with him

Feeling the sudden need to backtrack, she shrugged and tried to explain “Even though I know…” She raised an eyebroith a tipsy, hollow laugh “Of course I know that this whole thing is just an act I knoe’re just ‘acting’,” she said using finger quotes “You know, so you can go back and have like, fifty girlfriends without upsetting anybody I know you like your freedouess I just wanted to say that… well, you charmed me”

Suddenly she felt like she couldn’t breathe; like an eternity had passed since anyone had said anything She turned nervously and finallyanymore

His eyes moved in ways she suddenly couldn’t interpret He let out a nervous exhale and stared into his drink for aback up at her He cocked his broatching her carefully as he said, “I don’t know if that’s true anymore”

“What?”

What?!

“What don’t you know?” she clarified