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“Who are you?”

The voice startles me.

A boy stands a few feet away, around my age, maybe a little older. Tall, relaxed. His locs are long and they fall loosely around his shoulders, and his expression is open in a way that feels unfamiliar.

“Ah,” he says, squinting at me briefly before smiling. “You must be Maksim, Mr. Petrov’s son.”

I nod once.

“And you’re Mr. Sinclair’s,” I reply. “Though I don’t know your name.”

“Jamie,” he says easily. “Welcome to the chaos.”

I huff. “I love chaos.”

He laughs, like I’ve said something funny instead of true.

“So,” he says, as he balances the ball he’s holding on his hips, “how’re you liking the States?”

I shrug, my accent slipping thicker than usual. “Well, aside from possibly going to juvie soon? It’s… meh. Same as back home in Russia. I think I’d rather prefer living in Saturn.”

His eyes widen, and he laughs again, this time more loudly.

“Fair enough,” he says. “My brother and I are about to play basketball. You wanna join?”

I’d rather be tied to a tree and left there.

But before I can say that out loud, a voice cuts through the air.

“Yo, Jamie.”

Deep and commanding.

“Get your ass over here.”

I turn.

And everything inside me… stills.

He’s standing at the end of the hallway.

Taller than Jamie. Broader. Older. Probably in his twenties. His posture is relaxed, but there’s nothing casual about him. He looks like someone who doesn’t waste energy, doesn’t raise his voice, and doesn’t need to.

His locs are tied up, exposing a face carved with hard lines and sharper intent. Deep brown skin, like it’s been kissed by the sun. His dark, steady eyes land on me for just a second. And something in my chest tightens.

I forget how to breathe. How to think. He’s the most endearing human I have ever seen.

Then his gaze shifts away to Jamie, already done with me.

But I’m not done with him.

Not even close.

“Are you coming to the court or not?” the guy asks.

The question is meant for Jamie, but something about the depth of his voice makes my insides twist. It sinks into me, settles somewhere I don’t like… or maybe like too much.

“That’s my brother Tristan,” Jamie says as he walks toward him. “You can join us if you want.”