The boy and his ribbon

I patted her shoulders awkwardly, prying her off me to look into her face.

The i

The veiled mask was gone.

If she had any secrets, they’d sank far inside her, and I stood no chance at figuring them out now.

“Are you sure you want to leave behind your friends? Cassie? Liam?”

She nodded. “If you can’t go back, then yes.”

“And school? What about that?”

“I’ll go to another one.” She smiled. “I had to change anyway. I’m in high school now. This was my last term.”

“Oh.”

“But—I don’t have to go back,” she rushed. “I can get a job, too. I can pay my way—”

“Don’t even think such things. You’re finishing school, Della. University too if that’s what you want.”

She smiled with familiar love and devotion. “Okay.”

“Okay.” I smiled back, still not appeased and still tormented, but at least, for now, I didn’t have to tear us apart.

That would come later.

“Come on.” I strode toward the backpack forgotten on the ground. “I’m starving.”