In my room, I scrub my eyes with makeup wipes and change into leggings and old band T-shirt. I’ll let my teeth decay tonight.

He taps my window to make me lock the door.

The energy that usually lashes ineffectively inside each of us now has a conduit, forming a loop of electricity between us, cycling through me, into him. My heart is glowing in my chest like a bulb, flashing brighter with each movement of his lips.

The first smile Joshua’s ever had in my presence is pressed against my lips.

The art of holding hands is underrated and it’s embarrassing how much this simple act has me nearly breathless.

Oh, well. He’s seen and heard almost everything now. There’s nothing left to do but fake my own death and start a new life.

The trick is to find the one person who can give it back as good as they can take it.

I’m so badly socialized I can barely converse with normal human beings. I want to be at home on my couch with all of the pillows piled on my head.

I crank the shower and it spits and steams. Then I stand in the water and when I cry, the tears wash away. The perfect crime.

I was always covering for you.