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It wasSaturday night when the text came through from Henry.
We lost.
I could feel the disappointment beneath the message.
I’m sorry.The words didn’t seem like enough.
It was my fault.
I stared hard at my phone before typing:Why would you say that?
Some shit went down on the bus on the way to the game. It involved me accidentally dropping your letter and Flash finding it.
Fuck.Where are you?
Take a wild guess.
“Mom,” I said as soon as she came through the door from work. I had been pacing for the better part of ten minutes. “Can I borrow your car? Henry needs me.”
“Is everything okay?” She handed over the keys, and when I had trouble conveying why I needed to go, she ushered me toward the door. “Just be careful, and text me that you arrived safely.”
“I will.” I lifted my bag, which held the blanket I used for the roof. I just felt like he might need it. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Wait.” She handed me the bag of doughnuts.
I grinned and kissed her cheek, then hurried out the door to her car. I didn’t ask permission to use it very often, but she must’ve understood it was important. I was glad she trusted me to be responsible.
The trailer park was quiet as I pulled out of the lot and headed toward Roosevelt College. I had never used their parking spaces before and didn’t even know if students paid for them, so I made sure to find one with a sign for visitors. I ignored the fact that Mom’s car was a shithole compared to the others. At this point, no one would be surprised anyway.
I saw a few groups of students out and about but kept my head down as I strode toward the bell tower. I made sure no one was around when I quietly slipped up the staircase.
“Henners?” I called in a low voice.
“Lark?” He sounded shaky.
As I rounded the corner, I found him on a blanket on the stone floor, with his hoodie pulled up and tightly covering his head. As if he were swaddling himself in a safety bubble.
I pulled the blanket from my bag and covered his shoulders with it. “Hey, I’m here for you. Tell me what’s going on.”
When I sank to my knees, he held the blanket open and embraced me in his warmth. His head landed on my shoulder, and his breath tickled my throat.
“How did you get here? I hope you didn’t take the bus this late—”
“I borrowed my mom’s car.”
“Did you tell her where you were going?” he murmured.
“I just said you needed me…and she sent me with warm doughnuts.”
“Oh my God, I love her,” he said as I opened the bag and offered him one. “I wish I had parents like your mom.”
“I know you do.” I leaned forward and bussed his cheek with sugary lips. “Whoops, sorry.”
He smiled at me, and this time it met his eyes.
“So…Flash found the note?”
He swallowed another bite. “He read it aloud to the guys, and there were a bunch of jokes…and sure, it sounds childish and like bullshit team stuff, but it started feeling like it was the beginning of the end for me.”
