Page 81 of Headstrong Like Us

I click into the second group text.

More links for apartments in New York. This time from Jane. She’s pretty much fully New York or bust now.

I like the idea more and more of taking on New York with Charlie and Jane. It’ll be like old times when the three of us were in high school together.

When I pocket my phone, I realize Kinney still hasn’t come downstairs. “Kinney Hale!” I yell again.

“Alright!” She emerges from her room. “Jeez. You don’t need to bust your vocal cords. No one likes the sound of your voice.” She stomps down the stairs and shoots me one of her epic glares.

I ignore it and return to the dining room.

“I like the sound of his voice,” Farrow says casually, gaze pinned to me. Heat washes over my face. He grins. “Some days.”

“Ha ha.” I take a seat beside him, and I catch sight of Xander’s plate. “Really?” A mound of half-eaten mashed potatoes rests on his dish.

“Luna’s already eating too.”

Sure enough, Luna is scooping into a hunk of meatloaf. “Oh, I thought we could.”

“It’s alright.” I let out a deep breath. “Everyone can eat.”

“Good, we thought you were turning into Dad for a second,” Xander says.

Luna nods. “Butts in the seat before you eat.” Her impression of our dad is spot on.

“No, Kinney, you can’t have wine at the table.” Kinney pours herself a glass of water. “If you want to drink the blood of your enemies, usegrape juice.”

We’re all smiling.

“Lily would definitely be punching Lo’s arm,” Farrow adds, light behind his brown eyes.

Fondness drifts around us. We love our parents, and them not being here tonight—when they promised—is like a giant void.

Fuck.

I want to change the mood before it plummets to the bottom of the Earth.Go with your gut, Farrow would tell me. Everything inside me is saying—now’s the right time.

Just do it.

“Hey, you know what…” I stand up. “I’ve got something for you guys.” I go to the dining hutch, Avengers collector’s dishware displayed pristinely behind glass. Crouching down, I unlatch the bottom cabinet and pull out two small gift boxes. Each tied with a sky-blue bow.

“What’s that?” Luna wonders.

“You’ll see.” I hate this part. Where I hand one to Xander and the other to Kinney, and I give Luna nothing. I try not to look at Luna.Yeah, this is hard.

Kinney and Xander exchange a hesitant glance.

“You can open them.” I sit down, and Farrow slides a hand across my taut deltoids, then up to the base of my neck.

His comfort eases weight off my body in this effortless, seismic way. I smile a bit when I see Ripley hugged close to Farrow’s chest. Eyes shut in a peaceful sleep.

I focus on my sisters and brother.

Kinney unties the box faster than Xander. As soon as the contents become visible, she freezes.

Her eyes well.

She takes a bigger breath before meeting my gaze. “I’m fourteen. I didn’t think…” She huffs a lot to fight tears. “You know.”