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She took it fro the eed as he tossed it onto the floor in a pile of dirty clothes The room was somehow messier than the last time she saw it "I could clean your rooonna make you do that"

"I know, but you’ve been nice I’d like to do so in return"

He raised an eyebrow "Nice? Don’t say that shit too loud It ht ruin my reputation And maybe I’ll ask for help with my room someday, but not today"

"Soain, the silence aard Haven tried to think of so her, and she couldn’t focus on anything but the to break froer I lie around, the harder it’s going to be when I do have to get up"

Cars was not easy He held her aro when they reached the faether quietly on the couch as night fell Carra to another A few minutes past seven, he settled on an episode of Jeopardy! "This popular pasta dish consists of wide, flat noodles layered with na," Haven and Carmine said at the same time She smiled "What is this?"

"Useless trivia," he said, "like the bullshit they teach us in school"

She turned back to the television, eyes wide, and soaked up every question asked during the next thirty minutes When the show came to an end, she turned to Carmine He appeared bored, his head propped up with his fist on the arain

"Thank you," she said "I liked that show"

"It’s on every night at that tiain"

The front door opened a few minutes later, and Haven tensed when she heard footsteps She could feel Caraze on her, could sense it powerfully, but she couldn’t look at him She didn’t want to see his expression She didn’t want his pity He had treated her like an equal, and she didn’t want to feel like less than hiain

Dr DeMarco walked in, an uncoht back a bout of sickness, focusing her attention on a so to your room, Carmine?" Dr DeMarco asked "I’d like to talk to her alone"

Haven’s heart raced as she picked at her fingernails, trying to keep her composure as Car the spot she’d been focused on, so she stared at a loose thread on his shirt instead

He raised his hand, and Haven recoiled, wrapping her arms around herself protectively as sheflared, and Haven bit her bottos for a few days," Dr DeMarco said as he ran his fingers across the tops of her knees and squeezed them

She winced It hurt "I’m fine, sir"

"You have bursitis It’s when the little sac above the kneecap fills with fluid You need to rest and ice theo of her knee but didn’t get up It was unco o away

"Listen to me," he said, his voice softer "Do you knohat a GPS chip is?"

She shook her head

"It’s a tracking device, sorain of rice My car has one in it If someone steals it, I can find its location It’s a security s to me" He paused "You’re no different, child You have one in you, too"

At those words, Haven aze Sympathy shined from his eyes, which made her sicker

"I injected you with one in the basement that first day, so no matter what happens, I’ll be able to find you It’s how I knehere you went yesterday"

She couldn’t speak, afraid if she opened her mouth, she’d lose it She’d never had these reactions toward Master Michael She endured years of abuse fro, intactbut in one second, without raising his hand, Dr DeMarco had shattered a part of her

10

Durante fell under autu way to rich, war the tall pine trees Leaves fell in heaps on the ground, covering the earth like a crisp blanket

With the eanza in toith spirit week and a pep rally, a parade, and a football ga in a dance Car it all week

Haven had been cold again, hiding out whenever he was hoht as he sat in the library, whittling away the hours by plucking the strings on his guitar He wanted to go to her, to console her, but he didn’t knohat to say Sorry you’re here? Sorry you’re trapped? Sorry my father is a sick ht, when nothing about the situation made sense to him?

It was close to six in the evening when Haven opened her bedroom door and came face-to-face with Dr DeMarco He stood in the hallith his fist raised to knock, and she took a step back as he dropped his hand "May I come in?"

She nodded, confused why he would ask permission in his own house

He entered nonchalantly, as if he were there for casual conversation, and looked around for aher "How do your knees feel?"