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But as I walked to my bed, I spotted a lu, black hair fanned out across my pillow

Octavia

I stopped, sht her her own sha she owned—and everything I ohen she was close

I wasn’t old enough to re born, but when Octavia ca around Perfect and fragile and already loved by everyone, no rew up

I was like that once too Before people knew me

I tightenedthe bruise on her arm

Everyone else forced s Octavia always left what she was doing or who she ith and came to me instead It was nice

She stirred, drawing in a breath and turning onto her back

I pulled the pillow out fro onto the bed as I set the pillow to the side “You’re in my bed”

I crashed down next to her and propped ainst the headboard

Reaching into my breast pocket, I pulled out a couple of squares of sketch paper and started folding

She nestled close, tucking her head on my arm

“Are you scared?” I asked her, not looking away froami

“I was a little before” Her s hurt in my chest

My hand slowed for a moment, and I sed She was pulled away from me, taken out of the house, and out to the ocean in a snowstorht

But maybe it wasn’t them who scared her

She saw everything

Everything

“Why were you scared?” I asked, but I didn’t breathe as I waited for the answer

She shifted, looking up at me “Weren’t you?”

I said nothing, sih the arm of my jacket

A little

I cleared ain”

“How do you know?”

I finished the bird, holding it up against the shadow of the snowfall on the ceiling

“Because next tier,” I said

Turning to her, I set the bird under her chin, seeing her s her in