Page 23 of Shadow & Stars
I gave him the biggest hug. “I’m here for you, little buddy.”
Big or small, he’d always be my little buddy.
“Thanks,” he whispered, planting a kiss on my cheek. “It’s good to hug person to person.”
“It really is.”
We stayed like that for a while, being besties, losing ourselves in our special friendship bubble like we used to. But encroaching heartache tempered things. Because why wouldn’t it? What had this world done to make me think any sliver of happiness could last long before another round of pain kicked off?
Man, negativity sucked. Better to wade through the swamp and get to the sunny shore. Yeah. That was the key, not rotten pessimism.
Right?
7
XAVIER
Iretreated to the bedroom to take a much-needed break.
The air was stale, the mattress throwing up dust when I sat down on the bed. Over on the lopsided bedside table sat Rae’s empty notebook. She always told me she wanted to keep a diary in it, never putting pen to paper.
“I miss you,” I said to the room.
The last night I saw her, she swore we’d smell the last of the cheese that week.
“I know a witch who can help me,” she’d declared.
In that moment, I knew she was doomed. Her trust in a witch was misplaced, especially back then with things so black-and-white. Demons stayed away from witches and warlocks unless drawn into a fight. Yet Rae saw things differently, ahead of her time. And it ended her life.
Rae’s killer lured her into a house where she was tortured for information, then cut down with Arcana. Her parents burned that house in response, her father losing his life, her mother retreating into solitude somewhere in this realm.
To this day, I never knew where she’d gone.
It was strange how life turned out. Here I was, hiding in our spot, finding myself falling for a witch, longing to hold him through the rest of this horror until peace found us.
Someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Roman’s head appeared in the gap. “Hi. Are you busy?”
“Not in the slightest.”
“Cool.” He entered slowly, his energy meek. “Butterfly’s ready to look me over. Says you should join us.”
“Good news.” I didn’t move, afraid of the next stage.
“Can I sit with you?” Roman asked so softly.
I patted the space beside me. “I’d like that.”
He sighed. “Man, I thought you hated me.” He shook his head, shoulders sagging.
My hearts answered with sharp twinges of pain. “What? Why would I hate you?”
He scratched at his left palm, a flush of crimson creeping up his neck. “Because of the device. Because of how dangerous my thoughts can be. I’m a walking disaster.”
“No, you’re not.” I put my arm around him. “You’re amazing.”
