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"Deacon," he said in a low tone His gaze went fro" I dipped my head in his direction, and tried not to follow Charlie’s movements as she left the room

"Deaton, Deaton! Guess who I am!"

I pulled my attention away from the entrance to the halls, and watched Keith as he raced toward me with a piece of a cinnamon roll in his hand

"Uh," I sucked in a quick breath as I glanced as his forehead The A had been wiped away, leaving only black ses "Definitely not Captain America Let’s seeLoki!"

"No! I’m Darf Vaber!"

My head jerked back "What? Darth Vader isn’t a superhero He isn’t even with Marvel, kid!"

Keith sighed like he was getting annoyed that I wasn’t keeping up with his ’cause they take away the supapowers, et rid of ladybugs?"

Another long, drawn-out sigh "Yes, Deaton," he said as he went to go sit at the table "One day you’ll undastand"

"You’re right, kid Maybe one day" I caught Graha impishly at estured from Keith to me "Thousand bucks, man"

I flipped him off, but held back any verbal retort as I slipped quietly froer’s eyes were off of me

I set off toward the hallway to try to find Charlie, but as soon as I turned the corner, I nearly knocked her over

"What--" Charlie began as she danced out ofher hair on top of her head "Deacon, what are you doing back here?"

"Looking for you"

She bit down on her full bottoet to the café"

"Right, about that I ondering if I could take you"

Her steps abruptly halted, and she turned slowly to look up at me "Why would you want to?"

If only she kneas the least of the things I wanted to do with her at thatthat lip she kept biting on came close to the top "I can take you, and then I’ll take your car into the shop--try to figure out so else to do with it"

Surprise settled over her features "You’re really going to do that?"

"Charlie Girl," I said with a laugh "Yeah But I was serious; it’s really te fixed You need to look for a new car"

Her surprise faded into defeat "I know, I justI know" With a sad sigh, she began walking again, her voice trailing behind her "I will"

I followed her back out to the lare when he found out I was taking Charlie to work Graha back and forth between Charlie and me was harder to miss Each time he made the pass back to her, the rew