henry-whitmire

The first thing I needed, possibly the only thing, was to kiss her and I did, for as long as I could. I let us both breathe for a minute, and I perched her on a counter so I could touch the face I__ missed so much. I poured every bit of frustration, anger, sadness, and worry into that kiss. Meg understood and received it all, pushing her fingers into my hair and giggling against my lips. I didn__ care that anybody passing by could be watching us through the window, or that I could fall right there and sleep for a week.

Okay, news flash. Jealousy is not something I enjoy. I hadn__ felt it much before. But I__ also never been in love. And I__ never been 3,300 miles away from the girl I loved while some punk sat next to her on a couch. A punk who had designs on her, according to Dylan. I needed to lay eyes on this guy.

Quinn spoke their language__ll mystery and inside jokes, scarred souls and statement shirts. It was a beautiful moment for him__n his element and completely happy.When they started playing, he leaned over and whispered in my ear. __ee that guitar?__ nodded.__hat__ a 1969 Martin D28. Hear me when I say if I had to choose between a beautiful girl and that guitar, I__ choose the guitar. Natch._ He took a huge gulp of water, clearly affected.__aturally,_ I whispered. __t could be why you__e still single.

For a second, I stared at the map of her veins just under the surface of her thin skin. It was like her body was trying to become diaphanous. Instead of getting harder and stronger and full of life as we age, we disappear slowly. Our skin thins and evaporates. Our nails barely coat our fingertips. Our hair falls out. We are never more see-through.

But Quinn held the fuzzy handcuffs in his hands, looking them over closely, and he smiled. __h, hey, did you want to keep these for when your invisible boyfriend returns from his fake vacation?

Hold still, Meg, you__e dripping blood on my car seats.__ reached behind the passenger seat of Tennyson__ car looking for the white sheet she__ thrown in for mopping up bodily fluids. Quinn, sitting in the back seat, read my mind and handed it to me. __hank you.___o problem._ He leaned forward, pulling a corner of the sheet up to wipe off a small stream of blood on my neck. __ou okay?

Let__ go to town,_ Jo said. __ake me to eat dinner at the hotel.__ sucked in a breath and stared at her for a minute. Here she sat, her hair still wet although neatly braided, wearing an old Kiss sweatshirt, the one with the red mouth and tongue, red sweatpants, and ridiculous red pumps with black scuffs on the toes and heels.And she wanted me to take her to the Hotel Wyoming, where the rich tourists hung out. I smiled. Because it was possibly the greatest thing I__ ever heard. __eah, let__ go to the hotel. Grab your purse and I__l find your coat.

Thanet is having a moment,_ I said, leaning forward so Quinn could see him.__hat__ wrong, man?_ Quinn said. __ere you not aware high school dances suck? That they always have sucked and they will continue sucking as long as the world turns?

I won__ forget it,_ I said. __ hope you meet someone perfect one day.___a_yeah, that__ just it. I think I already did._ As we opened our doors to step out, he touched my arm. __ust to be clear, if I, like, leaned over and whispered your name in your ear, still nothing?

I needed out. The Jeep wasn__ fast enough. I shut it down, grabbed the keys and started running like a bear was at my heels. I couldn__ even see Henry anymore through my tears so it surprised me when he caught me in his arms halfway. The first thing I did was pound on his chest and ask him why he hadn__ called. The second thing I did was kiss him so hard he couldn__ answer me.

I recognized Meg__ swirly handwriting and crooked my index finger into the side of the envelope to rip it open. There was no letter. Just a picture. A picture of Meg holding a picture of me. The word HOME echoed through my body like a rifle shot.

Wait,_ Quinn said. __here__ one more thing._ I turned around and raised an eyebrow. His eyes were wary and he lacked his usual confidence.__o to the Winter Dance with me.

He smiled and squinted at me again, tilting his head up and to the right as he stared. __aybe what I__ attracted to in you is more than your looks and your brain and your humor._ He leaned closer like he had a secret. __t could be your soul,_ he whispered.I pushed his cheek until he was squinting at the door to the kitchen instead. __s this when you tell me I__ your soul mate, O__eill?

It was about how men walk into a forest afraid because they know all the things that can happen. They might wake the noisy birds and cause chaos. But kids come into the trees and see the magic. They climb them and see stars that the men were too afraid to see.