The cemetery was half an hour from Jude's house. On the way he kept humming to himself while I avoided stepping on sidewalk cracks. I know, it's weird, but he didn't seem to mind it. Besides, he seemed to lost in his own head to care about anything else around him. It was only when I stopped walking, did he look back.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdS1yVNNd5
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"What happened to John?" he asked. Then he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. "I'm sorry."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDILdvQYLP
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmQ5rGHwpH
"It's okay," I said, nodding. "He was shot two times in the chest. That's what the detective on his case told me. That's all I found out, really. I didn't want to press the issue, I guess."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtfR9TuA7o
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpyXwzXFPx
Jude slouched his shoulders and dropped his head, closing his eyes. Then he reopened them, stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my hair.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZpZZs2smn
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDXrePpW41
"I know it's hard losing someone you care about," he whispered. "I'll help you, if you want. We'll find where he's buried and we'll say goodbye."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRz1aDFg7To
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyIvmlcsUS
"Thank you," I said softly.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qJ0D6wBlL
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38V38pSmjp
I wasn't aware that my arms were around his neck, that I was moving closer to him, until he cleared his throat and untangled himself from my body. It was strange, but it looked like he was rather reluctant to do it.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJBgwN2Ps2
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Sj7Rsj616
"We're getting close," he said, looking back at me as he started to walk again. "Are you gonna be okay?"106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNb75GGiN3t
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOowGlpGxF
"I'll be fine." I wasn't but he didn't need to know that.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtQP3f6xIz
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucU3Pxk8se
"Good." He smiled and took hold of my hand, pulling me across the street with him. He let go once we were on the other side and looked at me. "She'll be happy you came."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZliVVwWbr
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFFQ8nk4wL
I smiled thinly as I looked up at the gates of the cemetery. We were inside before I realized, then walking down a rows of graves. The weather was nice and the grass was soft underneath my sneakers. When Jude stopped suddenly I almost slammed right into him. He was so still, his head turned to the left.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CDQ5ucOKX
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUhI6770jJ
"Kendall," he said, gazing at me. "Meet my sister, Abbie."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFu8L6FjIq
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q3X3Pt1Hs
My eyes saw the granite, and the name etched into it, and the words beneath. My heart clenched inside my chest and I reached down to grip his hand, squeezing it until I thought mine might break. We stared at each other for a long time, the wind rustling around us, then Jude smirked, leaned down, and kissed me.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92DpuBMRds
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFKO0ueyIX
You see, this is the part where I should have pushed him away. I should have screamed at him, or hit him, or done something to get his lips off of mine. But I didn't. God, I didn't. I just let him keep kissing me. I let his tongue taste me, his hands hold my hips, pulling me against him, his breath quicken.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCKq6TtvRd
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfm2d9Q4nof
A crow cawed overhead, making me jump, breaking us apart. I kept my eyes narrowed at the ground until I heard Jude walk a few feet and sit down. Then he stared talking.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUvxEnnwDm
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00Xdmam7CT
"Ab, this is Kendall. She's a girl I know from school. I really like it here, but I miss you. Mom still cries when she thinks I'm not watching, and Dad, well, he started drinking again. Don't you think that's a bit ironic? He's drinking but I'm the one that gets sent to a shrink? It blows without you here."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ULqiPpthT
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYK7Yb5EyOs
When his shoulders started to shake and he reached a hand out to touch the grave, I realized he was crying. He was crying more than I had ever seen another boy cry in my entire life. I dropped to my knees beside him and took his hand and just held it. Before I knew what I was doing, my hands were in his hair, stroking, and I was laying my head against his shoulder.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhRAJ4cYlH
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RdCyiUxWL
"Thank you for coming with me," he said quietly, like someone else would overhear. "It really meant a lot that I could share this part of my life with you."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SkJz9AVBN
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmeSHK52ec
I didn't know what to say, so we sat in silence, while the crow cawed again and left us to be alone together among the dead.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvU45fWV50
"What happened to John?" he asked. Then he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. "I'm sorry."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDILdvQYLP
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmQ5rGHwpH
"It's okay," I said, nodding. "He was shot two times in the chest. That's what the detective on his case told me. That's all I found out, really. I didn't want to press the issue, I guess."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtfR9TuA7o
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpyXwzXFPx
Jude slouched his shoulders and dropped his head, closing his eyes. Then he reopened them, stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my hair.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZpZZs2smn
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDXrePpW41
"I know it's hard losing someone you care about," he whispered. "I'll help you, if you want. We'll find where he's buried and we'll say goodbye."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRz1aDFg7To
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyIvmlcsUS
"Thank you," I said softly.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qJ0D6wBlL
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38V38pSmjp
I wasn't aware that my arms were around his neck, that I was moving closer to him, until he cleared his throat and untangled himself from my body. It was strange, but it looked like he was rather reluctant to do it.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJBgwN2Ps2
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Sj7Rsj616
"We're getting close," he said, looking back at me as he started to walk again. "Are you gonna be okay?"106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNb75GGiN3t
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOowGlpGxF
"I'll be fine." I wasn't but he didn't need to know that.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtQP3f6xIz
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucU3Pxk8se
"Good." He smiled and took hold of my hand, pulling me across the street with him. He let go once we were on the other side and looked at me. "She'll be happy you came."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZliVVwWbr
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFFQ8nk4wL
I smiled thinly as I looked up at the gates of the cemetery. We were inside before I realized, then walking down a rows of graves. The weather was nice and the grass was soft underneath my sneakers. When Jude stopped suddenly I almost slammed right into him. He was so still, his head turned to the left.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CDQ5ucOKX
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUhI6770jJ
"Kendall," he said, gazing at me. "Meet my sister, Abbie."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFu8L6FjIq
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q3X3Pt1Hs
My eyes saw the granite, and the name etched into it, and the words beneath. My heart clenched inside my chest and I reached down to grip his hand, squeezing it until I thought mine might break. We stared at each other for a long time, the wind rustling around us, then Jude smirked, leaned down, and kissed me.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92DpuBMRds
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFKO0ueyIX
You see, this is the part where I should have pushed him away. I should have screamed at him, or hit him, or done something to get his lips off of mine. But I didn't. God, I didn't. I just let him keep kissing me. I let his tongue taste me, his hands hold my hips, pulling me against him, his breath quicken.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCKq6TtvRd
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfm2d9Q4nof
A crow cawed overhead, making me jump, breaking us apart. I kept my eyes narrowed at the ground until I heard Jude walk a few feet and sit down. Then he stared talking.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUvxEnnwDm
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00Xdmam7CT
"Ab, this is Kendall. She's a girl I know from school. I really like it here, but I miss you. Mom still cries when she thinks I'm not watching, and Dad, well, he started drinking again. Don't you think that's a bit ironic? He's drinking but I'm the one that gets sent to a shrink? It blows without you here."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ULqiPpthT
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYK7Yb5EyOs
When his shoulders started to shake and he reached a hand out to touch the grave, I realized he was crying. He was crying more than I had ever seen another boy cry in my entire life. I dropped to my knees beside him and took his hand and just held it. Before I knew what I was doing, my hands were in his hair, stroking, and I was laying my head against his shoulder.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhRAJ4cYlH
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RdCyiUxWL
"Thank you for coming with me," he said quietly, like someone else would overhear. "It really meant a lot that I could share this part of my life with you."106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SkJz9AVBN
106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmeSHK52ec
I didn't know what to say, so we sat in silence, while the crow cawed again and left us to be alone together among the dead.106Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvU45fWV50
