462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAWpYurQ9F
"What happened to John?" he asked. Then he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. "I'm sorry."462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1pLgi6phK
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hxyOYQrPC
"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."462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBubsteaap
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVKgAZFCxQ
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.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5LXuYJBPe
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNK2jK20rKa
"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."462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oXahqSLea
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJeFTa4swrM
"Thank you," I said softly.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡth80LEEMvU
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRrUPx4mEQ
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.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0jrmQlfEb
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcBQUiKHkb
"We're getting close," he said, looking back at me as he started to walk again. "Are you gonna be okay?"462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskAEgAc1Yh
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCafTapYeG
"I'll be fine." I wasn't but he didn't need to know that.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoHv39sdGT
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs15GE5SOPk
"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."462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzQdFuliYq
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRuSlFQgPL
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.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHBqStlMXO
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwd3KPd1he
"Kendall," he said, gazing at me. "Meet my sister, Abbie."462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyQFXiQKWp
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkOfxaIrCF
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.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTutPAlIJw6
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAV4m1eHrW
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.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0WH02sk5Z
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKkjgRfMDC
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.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCd2UNTHAt
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAZhDG0Qna
"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."462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuXv0jOTWc
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGp6GrYPfBZ
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.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiv7Eb0rFNs
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacgos7TvLA
"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."462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXITaCTLih
462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzPZRADcie
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.462Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mnwwZMy3h