“They’d dueled in the lamplight of her kitchen that night, savaging each other with accusations that could never be recalled. Now, he couldn’t remember half of what they’d said, only the colors and lights and seething tide of fear all around them. He could still taste the acrid burn of unfairness.”

“She'd put her teeth in his heart, long ago, and he'd left the print there, evidence that he wanted her love. That he returned it.”

“He felt her heartbeat against his shoulder, through his jacket, light as raindrops.”

“You can’t love anything properly from a distance.”

“I was afraid,” she said, “and I wanted to hear your voice.”

“They’d dueled in the lamplight of her kitchen that night, savaging each other with accusations that could never be recalled. Now, he couldn’t remember half of what they’d said, only the colors and lights and seething tide of fear all around them. He could still taste the acrid burn of unfairness.”

“So anyway. If I let Corey take me out again, he’s got this buddy – Kyle maybe? Dunno – anyway, he’s single. Maybe you could come along and we could go doubles.”Lisa thought being involved in a shop class accident sounded more fun, but she managed a somewhat pleasant expression, or so she hoped. “Isn’t Kyle the one who spent a week in ICU after he tried to jump over a UPS truck with his bike?”“I think so. Why?”Lisa sighed. “If I have to explain it…”