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And it was hard not to laugh when a very naked Leo would go streaking down the block with one or both of his beleaguered fathers chasing after hi

I feltinto a smile

“What?” Vaughn asked

I looked at hi in that way that people did when they saw so they liked

“Nothing,” I said quickly

His face fell and I felt my stomach drop out

“I was thinking about so,” I added “Someone, actually”

“Who?”

I could see he was really interested so I said, “Magnus has a grandson named Matty He’s seven His best friend is Leo Leo doesn’t like to wear clothes so he usually takes theets the chance His fathers live on the saht a house a few doors down earlier this year… anyway, every once in a while I’ll see Leo running down the sidewalk, co after hihbor, Mrs Finney, she’s in a wheelchair and she and Leo and Matty and Jamie race each other down the street, but Leo says he runs fastest with only sneakers on so he gets undressed first…”

I felt otten in telling the story to Vaughn… he’d asked a siiven him a book’s worth of an answer

“Leo’s poor fathers,” Vaughn said with a smile, which made me feel better At least I hadn’t annoyed him

“He’s finally taken to wearing underwear recently,” I explained “But Connor thinks it’s only because it’s been so cold out”

“Connor?”

“One of Leo’s fathers,” I said “He’s also one of my tutors”

“Is Connor helping you get ready to apply to MIT?”

“What? No,” I said, horrified “I’m not… I could never…”

I snapped e

“You could never what?”

I shook my head

“Aleks,” Vaughn said softly and I couldn’t help but look at him His eyes were so dark they looked alentleness in them

Like there’d always been when it’d just been him and me…

“I can’t… I can’t go to college,” I stammered