Page 33 of Styx & Stones

Stones shakes her head. “I don’t want to go anywhere.”

“I get it, believe me I do. But you need to get out of this room, and I have a surprise for you.”

“No.” She pulls her hand free from mine and sits up. “Dammit. I don’t feel like being your project today, Styx.”

“My project?” My brows crease in confusion. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“You know what it means.”

“No, I really don’t, but feel free to enlighten me.”

“You make me a distraction. If you’re focused on me, you don’t have to think about the disease that’s trying to kill you.”

She’s kidding, right? “Jesus, Stones. That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Is it?”

“You don’t distract me from my cancer. If anything, you make me more aware there’s a chance I might die without ever getting to touch you the way I want.”

She sucks in a sharp breath. Her eyes are stormy with anguish and I close mine because this is not the reaction I’d hoped for when I told her how I feel.Fuck. I hadn’t even meant to tell her. It just slipped out. Though I guess, if she didn’t already know, she’s not as smart as I thought she was. I wasn’t exactly subtle on homecoming night.

“That came out wrong,” I say, and then I shake my head because fuck it. We don’t have time for anything else. “No. It didn’t. I like you, Stones. This shouldn’t be a shock to you. If it is then you haven’t been paying attention.”

“Styx ...”

I walk to the door, pulling back the handle. I lean my forehead against the wood, unable to look at her and see more tears in her eyes. “I got you a spot in Clarion Alley. Had to ring in a few favors—actually, my mom had to ring in a fuck-load of favors—but it’s yours. Whether you want it or not.”

I wasn’t sure if I was still talking about the alley or my heart.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

ALASKA

“You know, you’re reallybrilliant.” Dean folds his arms across his chest, appraising my work.

“Thanks.” I pick up the hot pink can and spray in long arcs surrounding the boy. “I owe a really brilliant apology.”