446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqg3Zjd9hk
"What happened to John?" he asked. Then he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. "I'm sorry."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExePopgoWU
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAL2hG3AJZ2
"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."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHjGE7alUj
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsFMkupKxD
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5EA4dtRP9
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oXoJW7xxg
"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."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJShowcVms
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMxJUt2aj8
"Thank you," I said softly.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFSHAVHACn
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMBfmNKGi8
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2j6S0nNV8v
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWElGBKQN9a
"We're getting close," he said, looking back at me as he started to walk again. "Are you gonna be okay?"446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLRRcwqT2O
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jbBfhIIYT
"I'll be fine." I wasn't but he didn't need to know that.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzAO7PlxgC
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3bgEF9A8P
"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."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKfeQc7ouH
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7n6l7obhrK
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCWIhM6MDf
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54evTG1iXs
"Kendall," he said, gazing at me. "Meet my sister, Abbie."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhp8QIMFLz
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDR3WMK66SA
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXdN9furjm
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2RXy4sNBQ
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkwkI3OfFN
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcpXRKH0P5
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySdIRtIAiL
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhSMU1wxOH
"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."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbc4UfoZnQK
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYP9HEyNAeM
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVsD6MRHMx
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsi9ZMzf2lh
"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."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡji20vl5doN
446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOdGk9ZHJY
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHhPf9ENHj