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It wasn’t bad or too fake, but stil , nothing stirred inNo matter how much money he sent me or how many letters he personal y wrote, he couldn’t buyhi to buy ht into wear that covered the worst of the tags

Keeping my hair down helped with the neck situation, but it didn’t cover al the splotches

To my surprise, the Guards didn’t stop e to theof being watched A quick glance over my shoulder confirmed my suspicions One of the Guards had broken away froe and kept a discreet distance behind me Perhaps Lucian or Marcus worried I’delse incredibly irresponsible

I tossed the Guard a saucy grin before darting into one of the boardwalk’s tourist shops owned by the pures but run by mortals The one I dove into featured an assortment of homemade candles, mosaic tilestosoirl stuff I planned on indulging in, I considered the si to kil dairabbed a fehite votive candles in little pinewood spirit boats and a handful of big, chunky ones--

the kind that smel ed like they’d overdosed in a Bath and Body Works sweatshop

At the checkout counter, I ignored the way the obviouslyat my neck Pures used compulsions on thethes they saere actual y normal This chick looked like she could use another dose

"Is that al ?" She stuttered over the last word, forcing her gaze away frooing to be how people acted until the das faded? My eyes dropped froister

"Can I add that?"

The girl nodded, sending highlighted hair across her face Unable to look atme up pretty quick

Once outside the store, I sat on one of the white benches lining the street and scribbled a couple of lines After sealing the envelope, I headed across the street and cut between a bookstore and a novelty shop

I didn’t need to look behind to know the Guard stil trailed me Ten minutes later, I climbed the wide steps to Lucian’s beach house and slid the note through the crack under his door

There was a good chance he wouldn’t even get it, but at least I’d atte my mini-fortune on my back-to-school wardrobe

After al , I couldn’t wear dress greens and workout clothes al year long

I rushed off his porch just in case he was actual y hooodness, I started back to the Covenant-control ed island

"Miss Andros?"

Letting out a huge sigh, I turned and faced the Guard turned stalker He stood by his partner now, a bland look on his face "Yeah?"

"The next tiain permission"

I rol ed my eyes, but nodded I’d come ful circle since I’d returned to the Covenant I stil needed a babysitter

Back on the campus, I made one more stop before I met up with Caleb: the courtyard Hibiscuses had been Mom’s favorite flower, and I found several in bloom I liked to think they smel ed like the tropics but I could never real y catch any scent from them Mom had just liked how beautiful they were I snatched about a half of dozen and left the garden

As I neared the girls’ dor on the front porch with a few other half girls She looked a lot better than the last time I’d seen her

She tipped her chin when I passed her, using one &uuloriously shiny hair over her shoulder Silence stretched between us, and then she opened her mouth

"Don’t you look lovelier than normal?" She pushed away from the thick columns and bit her plus draw the attention away fro, huh?"

I didn’t know rather to laugh or punch her in the face

Either way, as ridiculous as it sounded, it felt good to see Lea back to her bitchy self

"What?" She narrowed her eyes in chal enge "You have nothing to say?"

I thought it over "I’ht you were a leather chair"

She smirked as she strutted by me "Whatever Freak"

Nor battle of insults, but this tis to do Inside my roouide spirits into the afterlife Thewas total y syravesite, it was the best I could co ready I wanted to look nice--wel , as nice as I could look with half s

When I felt satisfied my hair didn’t look like a frizz bal and the dress I’d worn to the earlier funerals wasn’t covered in lint, I picked up a light cardigan Slipping it over athered up my stuff and headed off to meet up with Caleb

He was already down by the water, near the edge of the es sat It was the best, lad for that Seeing Caleb in his nice clothes felt like a punch to my chest