Page 17 of Killer Confections

“She finished early. I leave at the end of this month.” I sob, my whole body shaking.

Long arms wrap around me, pulling me into a chest. Atlas situates me on his lap, running a hand down my hair as he rests his chin on my head.

This is the safest I’ve ever felt, so I let it all loose. The nasty cries filled with snot and pitiful whimpers, the rhetorical questions that I know can’t be answered, and the begging for him to not hate me for leaving.

“I would never hate you,” he says quickly. “We’re going to think of something.”

I almost laugh at that. “There isn’t anything we can do. I have to move with my parents.”

He’s silent for a while, comforting me as I hiccup and wipe my face.

“You can’t leave,” he says quietly. “You’re…” he stops himself, choosing not to say what he was thinking.

Say I’m yours.

Say I can’t go because I’m yours.

But he doesn’t say anything else and we don’t go to class that day. Both of us are marked absent, but neither of us can find it in us to care. We spend the whole day mostly in a sullen silence, mourning the time we won’t get to share.

He doesn’t let me go far. Even when I leave to sneak to the bathroom, he waits outside the door for me, afraid I may disappear.

We made a pact to enjoy our last few weeks together. Atlas even promises me to be there on moving day.

I worry about what his dad may do if he finds out his son broke the rules to skip class and that he’s planning on seeing me off, but it doesn’t seem to bother my friend.

I know that this is all I have left, so I don’t waste our time. I soak him in as much as I can, that bittersweet feeling of getting to know him more, but also leaving soon makes me desperate for anything I can learn.

I take everything he can give.

Praying that in the future, he’ll find me.

Chapter Seven

Atlas

Eleven Years Ago

“We have to be quick,” Rowan whispers as he slowly shuts the bedroom window.

School’s out and my siblings and I are home for the summer now. Dad is on a mission, but mom is around. She’s no less of a threat than him, but Rowan has become an expert at sneaking outwithoutgetting caught.

“She lives thirty minutes away,” I say, sounding frantic. “Do you think we’ll make it?”

My brother hops down from the roof, his landing silent. He gives me a smirk. “Oh, yeah. Don’t worry your pretty little head.”

I roll my eyes as we race down the gravel road, scanning for the blue car Rowan’s friend drives.

I spot it at a crossroad up ahead, picking up pace and throwing the back passenger side door open. The smell of smoke wafts from the interior, but I ignore it as I slide into the seat.

“What’s up?” A girl with bright red lips and blue hair asks from the driver’s seat.

Rowan ducks in, slamming his door before leaning over the console and kissing her quickly.

“Some friend,” I mutter.

He shoots me a smirk, hisfriend’slipstick smeared on his lips. “I could say the same for you. This is Harley, my girl.”

She gives me a cordial smile in the rearview mirror. “Nice to finally meet you, Atlas.”