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“I regret to inform you that, if you leave this classroom Piper, I’ll have to fail you on this test,” Mrs Grady warned, and she sounded completely apologetic about it while sounding hopeful that’s exactly what I was about to do.
I nodded, “I was probably going to fail anyway, to be honest,” and I ran out of the room.
In all the classrooms I passed, kids were staring out the windows; there was whispering and teachers trying in vain to get their classes back under control. No doubt they were all expecting some big dramatic finish.
I ran out of the building and Roman was still standing in the same spot he’d been. I was actually fairly impressed with his tenacity; he’d always had a short attention span.
I slowed when he saw me. He dropped onto the grass and lowered the boom box so he was holding it by the handles by his knees. The air was charged around us again and I felt likemyknees might give out. We stared at each other awkwardly. It was the first time I’d ever felt awkward around him. Sure, there had been plenty of times when I’d felt antsy and nervous, but never completely awkward.
“I didn’t–” we started at the same time, then stopped with wry smiles.
“Sorry…” he said.
I shook my head. “No… I just didn’t peg you for the big gestures type.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Well, I’d like to not have to do it again. It’s kind of unnerving not knowing if it’s going to be a good ending or a bad ending.”
“And, how do you think it will end?”
He shrugged. “That all depends on how badly I fucked up, doesn’t it?”
“That sounds an awful lot like an apology, Lombardi,” was out of my mouth before I could stop myself.
He nodded and looked away from me. “Yeah, well. I always said, Barlow, some things you have to apologise for.”
“Not to me.”
“Especially to you.”
We stood in awkward silence, not really looking at each other but trying to sneak totally conspicuous looks at each other.
“Piper, I am sorry.” God, he sounded so sincere.
“It’s not like I didn’t mess up, too,” I replied.
“Is that an apology?” he chuckled.
I looked out over the oval and bit my lip against a smile. “It might be.”
“Can I hug you now?” he asked.
I was torn between giving in and protecting the both of us. “I’ve moved on, Roman.”
“Rio said.”
I nodded. “Did he?”
“Yeah. He told me you were adamant but he didn’t believe you.”
My heart jump-plummeted all by itself. “I can’t imagine why he thought you’d care.”
“Because he saw what you saw, what I need you to see again.”
My eyes slid back to him. “I don’t know exactly what you’re asking of me here.”
“Do you really not?” I knew he didn’t believe me.
“Doyouknow what you’re asking?” I looked at him fully, searching his face.
