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I walk over to the railing, bend down a little, and rest --the tall buildings are lit up and everything sees are, but I don’t care either They’re pretty It’s ae Three irlfriend, beaten to within an inch of her life Three days ago I was a scared girl with very littlein a hoh I’m still scared and I still have very little money, it’s all flipped around I’m in a fantastic apart so for when I see how ht even have a job as a h to own an entire building and pay girls a hundred dollars an hour to sit for him

I hear the soft footsteps but I don’t turn

"Find a movie you like?" he asks as he comes up behind , my body between them, and then takes a chance and leans in to close the distance between us

"Yes," I reply as his le all the way upabout, if you don’t h "Just how funny life can be How things can change in a moment and how you never knohen that moment will come It’s occurred to me over the past few days that I’m not really in control of very et on a bus and move to a new city completely alone And I canfalsely accused of stealing And I can make the decision to spenda little white card at my face and I end up with an invitation to sit in front of Antoine Chaput"

I turnhim I wonder what he thinks of that little revelation? That I wasn’t invited, but stole an opportunity to test for Antoine froirl He eases up to let ainstmy brsts instead of in to caress my neck If he has an opinion on the invitation, he holds it back

"But everything after that was luck," I continue "I can’t control other people I couldn’t make Elise take et offered a fake job sharins at that last remark

"And I have no control over how you feel about me or why you want to let"I’m totally at the mercy of the universe for these parts And it’s a little bit scary not to be in control, don’t you think?"

He pulls ht of another kiss But he doesn’t kiss s his lips toin deeply And his hands play with y and damp from my shampoo

"It’s very scary," he whispers as his mouth travels down to my ear "And I don’t know the whole story with you but if you really did all that then I’e, Rook"

"I think you overestie, it was desperation and fear"

He pulls ainst his chest, his hands wrapped tightly around my head and neck in a protective ee Because if this guy you’re running fros I think he did, then I know first-hand how scary that is"

I push back and stare up at him "How?" I ask

He smiles but it’s sad "Because my father used to beat the shit out of my mom back when Elise and I were kids And one day he hit her with a baseball bat and she never got back up Elise was eighteen and I was ten when they took my dad to prison He’s still there, I think I have no idea really When Antoine showed up and wanted to date Elise and take ic kids and just went back to being us again It was scary as fk those first few years, having to trust that Antoine was good and that he’d stick around He and Elise neverti that was about to be pulled out fros started to change Antoine is a good guy, he loves Elise, and yeah, I’d like hiive her h for Elise, then I just have to accept it"

It’s my turn to wrap my hands around his neck and pull him close I can’t reach his forehead so I kiss his chin instead and he laughs "Sorry," I say with a smile "I can’t reach your forehead but I wanted to kiss you"

He leans down and takes my lips this time, a soft, slow kiss that makes my toes feel warm The heat climbs upbetween ht undoyou’ll stick around long enough to put o back inside and get our food I got her another burger Since I flappedshe likes, and I know she likes burgers and salads with chicken on thehs and calls me a cheat, but eats every bite and this makes me so happy I can’t stand it