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‘You think of me as a sister?’
‘I did.’
And now he did not.
‘Do you think of me the same way now? Or as a friend?’ she asked.
‘We can never be friends Aurora.’
Some might take that as an insult, Aurora thought, but it was true. She did not want to do the things she wanted to do to Nico with her friends.
‘What have you been doing?’ he asked again.
‘Trying to fit in—but as always I didn’t.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Chi-Chi is desperate to marry and Antonietta…’ She hesitated, and then told Nico what he might not know, as it was very recent news. ‘She is soon to be engaged to Sylvester.’
‘But isn’t he her cousin?’
‘Second cousin, I think,’ Aurora said, and watched as Nico pulled a slight face. ‘I don’t think she’s happy about it.’
‘I can’t say I blame her.’
Nico sighed. If Aurora was fire, then Antonietta was ice, and did not show her feelings. If Aurora thought Antonietta unhappy, then she was.
‘So,’ Aurora continued. ‘There is Chi-Chi wanting a husband, Antonietta not wanting one, and as for me…’ She took a breath and told him, ‘I am twenty and only last week had my first kiss.’
‘Just a kiss?’ Nico asked, and she nodded.
‘I hated it,’ she admitted.
Nico wasn’t sure he believed her. ‘You need to hide your Pill better, Aurora.’
‘You were snooping?’
‘And you think your parents don’t?’ said Nico.
‘Usually I’m more careful. I was in a rush tonight.’
‘So, if you have just had your first kiss, and hated it, why are you on the Pill?’
‘If you build it they will come,’ Aurora said. ‘Or hopefullyIwill.’
He laughed.
So did she.
Oh, they laughed—and it was such a moment, such a shared flash of bliss, to see cold, immutable Nico lie there and laugh, that she did what she knew she should not and moved her hand to his cheek.
His hand went to remove it, but instead it held hers there.
‘It’s me who doesn’t fit in, Aurora. I don’t want relationships. I don’t want responsibilities.’
‘And you probably don’t want someone who can’t kiss.’
‘Aurora, trust me—you can kiss.’
