Page 106 of Reasons We Break

Simran resists. “I need my jacket.” That was important for some reason. She doesn’t remember why anymore.

Nick lets her put it on. She feels her pockets to make sure she has everything, then reaches for her papers. “I need these, too.”

“Fine. We’ll bring your little masterpiece. But only so you can see how hard you were tripping later.”

He drags her forward. She stumbles, but Nick doesn’t slow down, which is rather annoying. She was having a great time until he showed up.

A soft laugh comes from around the corner. Zohra. Simran hears Manny’s rumbling voice in response. She cranes her head to see what’s happening, but Nick pulls her back. He tows her down the stairs, and when she pitches forward, he swings her into his arms. She spreads her hands out and makes airplane sounds. Nick sighs. She laughs, and then can’t stop laughing. She laughs so hard she gets a stitch.

“Nick, you’re funny, you know that?” She wipes tears as they finally reach the main level. Instead of going to the front door, Nick veers left, down another set of stairs. Then a service entrance, a set of metal double doors. “Why’d you join the Lions when you could’ve become a comedian?” She laughs again.

“That’s right. I’m a comedian, Manny’s house is the circus, and he madeyouthe clown.” Nick comes to a stop and sets Simran down on the floor, against a cabinet. They appear to be in an abandoned kitchen. He rummages under the sink. Her curiosity grows.

“Howdidyou end up with the Lions?” she asks. “Are you like Rajan?”

“No, I’m notlikeRajan.” Nick snorts. “My family is loaded and they all love me. I’m their only son who can do no wrong. I’m not like the rest of you. I don’t have a sob story. I was just bored.”

She stares at his back. “Is that why you set Rajan up to fall off a roof? Because you were bored?”

“Thisagain? I didn’t set him up. Did he say that?”

“No, Manny did.”

Nick stills. “Shit.” He says it through his teeth, like he’s realizing something at long last. “His PO...And that hammer...”

Simran has no clue what he’s talking about. She’s watching the patterns on the ceiling swirl when Zohra enters. Nick, now holding a large bucket, faces her. “Well?”

Zohra looks somewhat resigned, finger-combing her hair. “He saw you take her. He was mellow about it. Said he’d had his fun.”

“Yeah, I bet.” Nick’s voice is dark. “This is getting out of hand, Z. Manny’s doing stuff without telling me now.” He lugs his bucket to the sink. “Simran, take off your jacket.”

Simran hugs it closer. “No.”

“Suit yourself.”

While Simran’s trying to figure out what he means, Zohra squats and tilts Simran’s face up. “What’d you take?”

“She smells like weed,” Nick says from the sink. “And I saw pills. What were they?”

“Not sure,” Simran admits.

“AtleastG,” Zohra says. “You know Manny loves G.”

“It can’t just be G. Not with the way she’s acting.” Nick sighs as he shakes ice into his bucket. “Rajan will use my head for swing practice if he finds out about this.”

Simran hiccups. “Ooh, I’d like to see that.”

Zohra’s head comes up sharply. So does Nick’s.

“Jesus,” he says. “It really is always the quiet ones.”

That’s even funnier. She giggles as Zohra wipes her nose with a towel. The imagery gets to her because everything about Rajan does. Who is she kidding? She’s attracted to him. So much, that sometimes if he looks at her just right her heart will flip like he kissed her. And god, thekissing. If they hadn’t been interrupted that night, she would’ve—

She only realizes she’s talking out loud because Zohra interrupts. “Wait, you two kissed?”

She sounds curious, not jealous. Simran nods. Zohra breaks into a grin.

“Get it, girl! Well? How was it?”