Page 103 of Her Sloth

I’m home.

We don’t talk. She just caresses my hair.

Luke and Tommy make themselves scarce.

The sun is already setting beautifully behind the mountains when she finally speaks.

“This is your home,” she says. “Your family.”

“Yeah,” I say and roll onto my back so I can see her.

A faint smile on her face, almost a bitter one.

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing,” she says.

“Cass,” I say warningly.

She sighs, scoffs sweetly, smiles.

“I finally get to see the real you,” she says. “And it’s someone I very much love.”

She bends down.

Kisses my forehead.

Yeah. This is the real me.

26

CASS

PLAYLIST: ALL OF ME – JOHN LEGEND

Idon’t think I ever thought I’d wake up to California sun, let alone with Elise’s sister next to me in a bed after a good night’s sleep I hadn’t had in years.

“Hey,” she says.

“Hey back,” I say as I stretch.

“Good to see you alive. You’ve been out for sixteen hours,” she says and laughs.

“Had some sleep to catch up on,” I say shortly. Even after sixteen hours of sleep, I won’t magically become a morning person.

And then she leans in to kiss me.

My chest flutters.

We’re in a bed together.

And there is the sensation⁠—

I want her.

Want more of her.

I pull myself close.