Page 104 of Heartbeat

“What does that mean?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“Does he know about Liam?”

“Yes.”

“All of it?”

“Enough.”

“More so than the others?”

I nodded.

She stared for a second before continuing. “What are you doing Saturday?”

“I dunno. It’s still Wednesday.”

“Humor me.”

I sighed. “I, uh—I’m staying in, I guess.”

“Alone?”

“With him, if possible.”

“Will you tell him what Saturday means?”

“I’ll have to. I don’t want him thinking there’s something wrong.”

“But there is something wrong,” she reminded me.

“Not with him, there isn’t.”

She smiled, but I wasn’t really sure why though. “What about Marcy? Will you tell him about her apologizing?”

“I dunno. Maybe.”

“Will you tell him anything that makes you appear vulnerable?”

“What does that even mean?”

She uncrossed her legs and crossed them again, adjusting herself on her chair and checking the small gold wristwatch she kept on the side table.

“Grab your cigarettes,” she ordered.

“What?”

“You heard me.” She pointed at my bag.

I opened it, took out my pack, and held it in my hand.

“Can I have one?” she asked, extending her hand.

“S-sure?” I said, extending my arm to her to remove one of the five cigarettes left in the pack.

She placed it in between her lips and looked at me, raising a single brow. I quickly reached in my front pocket for my lighter and watched as the flame burned the rough paper as she inhaled.

“That night,” she began, resting her elbow on her knee and letting the smoke engulf the room in fog. “How long did you swim for?”

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