Chapter 13

I reach out and touch his arm. His shirt is so unbelievably soft, and I feel his bicep underneath. It’s big and tight and cut, probably from the weeks he’s spent on crutches. I say, “I’m so sorry you got hurt at the dance.” And despite everything Leonid did to me, it feels good to apologize. Because I truly did not mean for him to be hurt so bad that his whole life might be screwed up.

He shrugs his shoulders. “Shit happens, you know?”

“Yup,” I say, nodding, because it is true. “Shit happens.” It happens to all of us.

There’s an awkward second, where neither of us knows what to say. Leonid rustles his hand through his hair. “I should go find my friends. Hope you make it out of here alive.” He positions his crutches and goes to take a step forward, but I shift my body so he can’t. It gives me a surge of adrenaline.

Put myself out there. That was Selena’s advice.

What do I have to lose?

“It’s, um, been a long time, huh?” The words get kind of caught up in my throat.

Leonid’s head falls