Page 38 of Sol
Faster and faster we went, passing people on park benches, grand fountains, and hundreds of scented rosebushes. The evening sun faded into dusk. Lights started to come on in the buildings lining the park. And still I pounded the trail, and he met me step forstep.
No matter how fast I ran, I’d never escape what I’ddone.
My lungs were going to burst, and I had a stitch in my side. The gates of the park were in sight. I slowed to a jog, wiping mybrow.
“I could barely keep up with you,” he panted, still not red-faced. “You’reamazing.”
I shook my head. I wasn’t amazing. Try,horrible.
The blood pumping in my veins right now though told me that I was alive, and if I was still alive, I had an opportunity to fix my mistakes. Even those that weren’tfixable.
Or at least I couldtry.
“Youokay?”
I nodded again. I wasn’t okay, but I wouldbe.
He went to reach out to grab my hand, then stopped. “I’d like to talk to you some more.” His powerful gaze made me realize that even though he was being polite and asking, he wasn’t gonna take no for an answer. Not anymore.
“Okay,” I said. I wanted to stop feeling these violent, erratic mood swings that I’d felt since I learned he was coming. I knew from yoga—and Lulu’s lecture—that sometimes the only way out of something was through. So I’d go through whatever I needed to withhim.
He smiled like he’d just won the Spanish lottery. “Forreal?”
“Yeah.” And I gave him a true smile back. Feeling comforted by his presence, I had to admit that he gave me a sense of security I hadn’t felt with anyone else for a long time. If I could only reach out and touch his soft, supple skin, shining under his perspiration. Give him a hug. Dissolve the tension. But no, I just needed to work out some things with him. That wasall.
“I haven’t been fair to you,” I continued. “I’ve been so pissed at you because you got my brother into the army.” He opened his mouth to protest, but I interrupted him. “Not a word. Let me talk. He’s between us. Degan is betweenus.”
His eyes pierced mine. “Yeah. Heis.”
“He might always be between us. I don’t know. But I want to try to work things out withyou.”
“You don’t know how happy that makesme.”
“Don’t get too many ideas. You’re the annoying friend of my little brother, who’s all grown upnow.”
“Thanks,” he said with a sarcastic snort. Then his gaze locked on mine. “You’re the phenomenal sister of my best friend, who I’ve wanted my entirelife.”
Oh. Heavens. If he kept that stuff up, I’d melt into goo before I made it back to my apartment. I didn’t know what to say tothat.
We reached the end of the park and slowed to a walk, our chests still heaving from therun.
“Maybe we can meet up after class Friday,” Isaid.
“I’d like that. I’ll walk youhome.”
* * *
The background noises of Granada,while muffled in the tree-lined park, returned as we crossed the busy street and headed back. Mopeds, scooters, small cars, and small trucks roared up the streets and prowled at the stops, willing the lights to change togreen.
A normal, noisycity.
Trent, though, tensed. The muscles in his arms flicked, his shoulders straightened, and his eyes darted from place to place, wary. As we made our way back to the central part of town, Trent flinched with each loud engine—and there were a lot ofthem.
A stream of four mopeds went by, and hecowered.
Then a Vespa scooter dallied past us with an underwhelmingWile E. Coyote and Road Runnerbeep-beep horn, but I could see his breath becomingerratic.
When a larger delivery truck thundered by, I thought he’d passout.
