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"What happened to John?" he asked. Then he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. "I'm sorry."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIv0KvDu8tM
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"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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wSMhWzjz0
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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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dL5AfNzBB
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"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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZF01jPefKo
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"Thank you," I said softly.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKWH4u3kM8
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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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6TNhb2EVu
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"We're getting close," he said, looking back at me as he started to walk again. "Are you gonna be okay?"455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwYeaZ0AJn
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"I'll be fine." I wasn't but he didn't need to know that.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡID2lepfizM
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"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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNsryCr7pu
455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4CgowVYy6
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusfrcrziul
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"Kendall," he said, gazing at me. "Meet my sister, Abbie."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscfHyQ8E0D
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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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YnrATIfjZ
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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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIzwbuFNl3
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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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrukBeOge0s
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"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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkshWhEpU3j
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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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ640SZqwbDp
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"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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3F3bls4tET
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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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHUjpbr8dB