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"Shouldn't you have sent these already?"
I swallow down my anxiety. "Yeah, but I haven't. Whatever. Come back to bed, babe," I say in the hope it puts an end to the conversation.
"Nice try. Why haven't you sent them?" Excuses balance on the tip of my tongue, but I know she'd see right through them. "Con, there are some incredible colleges here. They'd be lucky to have you."
"Hmm... seriously, come here. I miss you." Pushing the sheets lower in the hope my body will tempt her, I wait for her to decide.
Thankfully, she puts them back where she found them, but it seems it's not the end of the conversation.
"What are you scared of?" she asks, coming to lay in front of me, her hypnotizing eyes staring into mine.
"I—" The emotion in my throat cuts off my words. "I don't know what I want. It's a big decision, potentially a big move. I just... don't know."
She smiles at me softly. "You don't think that's how everyone is feeling right now?"
I shrug. "We were never meant to have these kinds of options. I never thought I'd even apply, let alone..." I trail off.
"You deserve this, Conner. You deserve everything your new life can give you. Don't run away from what could be the beginning of the rest of your life. We'll post them tomorrow, together," she states, making my chest ache.
"What about you?" I ask, lacing my arm around her back and pulling her closer so our bodies are pressed together.
"Me? I don't even have a home, Con. You really think I've put any thought into my future?"
"You do have a home," I argue. "Right here is where you belong."
"James might have helped me with school, but I can't expect anything else from him."
"He'll do whatever I ask of him. He owes me. You want to go to college, we'll make it happen."
"I'm not sure it's for me. And I'm sure you don't want me following you like a lost puppy."
"Are you kidding? I would love to go together. We really could make up for lost time then. Get an apartment together. Be like, a real couple."
"You're such a goof," she laughs, wrapping her hand around the back of my neck and brushing her lips against mine.
After a few minutes we both rest our heads on the pillows, our noses only a breath apart.
"Does it hurt?" Kenny asks, running her fingertip over my bruises.
"Not as long as you're touching me." She smiles at me before her face drops.
"What? What's wrong?"
"What really happens now?"
"We finish school and plan our future."
"I'm eighteen in a few weeks, Con." I know what she's worried about, but James isn't going to cut her off just because of her age. What I said earlier is true. He'll help her as long as I ask him to.
"I have no home, no family, no nothing."
"You have a home and a family here. What more could you want?"
She swallows nervously and I hold her tighter. "He's going to come back, you know that, right? His disappearing act, it's not going to last forever."
The image of Warren's dad slumped on his trailer floor hits me.
"What?" Kenny asks, her voice quivering, I have no idea what she can see on my face, but I know I can't keep this from her. I still have no idea if I left him breathing or not.
