Page 73 of Vespertine

Nicky raised his face and brought his mouth close to Jasper’sear. “You’re starved for it,” he whispered, breath hot and wet like the touchof a tongue. “Aren’t you? And you don’t even know it.”

They still didn’t touch, but Nicky’s words felt like aforbidden caress down Jasper’s spine.

Nicky opened his mouth again, leaning back a little. Hispure blue eyes shimmered, and he sighed. “Forget I said that. I’m here fortools and yoga.”

“This way,” Jasper said, his voice gruff.

Nicky didn’t find the tool he needed but did locatesomething else that might work. It was a mystery to Jasper, who’d never learnedanything more useful than how to pray.

He flinched at his own thought and focused back on Nicky. “Soyou’ll be staying for yoga?”

“Sure, why not? Offer some comic relief for these poor kidsstuck in a school with a beast of a former teacher and an uptight priest allthe time.”

“They’ve been stuck in worse places,” Jasper said, lettingNicky’s teasing insults slide as he led him down the hallway toward the gym.

“Yeah.” Nicky took a deep breath. He searched Jasper’s eyesand then looked down as a soul-deep sadness seemed to envelope him. “I rememberit, you know?”

“What?”

“Being in that dumpster. I remember it was raining. I waswet and cold and afraid.”

“Nicky!” Jasper pulled him to a halt in front of the gym. “Younever told me that. You were only a few days old, how could you possibly—”

“I don’t know. But I do. I told the social worker at somepoint and she said it wasn’t unusual for traumatic events like that to imprintthemselves on babies. She said it was true, anyway. It had been raining forhours when that homeless guy found me.”

Oh, how horrific. “A…a homeless person found you?”

“Yeah. That’s what she told me. I guess I was lucky he tookme to the shelter. Not everyone would’ve.” His eyes went distant. “I was ababy, but somehow I understood death. I understood my mom didn’t want me andthat I was going to die.”

Was that even possible? Jasper didn’t know, but Nickyclearly thought it was, which was all that mattered. “I’m…I’m so sorry. I neverknew. Oh, Nicky.” Jasper stepped into Nicky’s space and hugged him again,wanting to feel him tucked against his chest the way he had been the nightbefore. He wanted to keep him safe. Nicky made a startled noise, then gingerlyhugged him back. Wherever their bodies touched, little pools of comfortingwarmth rippled out over Jasper’s skin.

You’re starved for it.

Oh, he was. Hewas.

Again Nicky was the first to break away and when Jasperturned to open the door to the old gym, he saw Lizzie standing down thehallway. His cheeks heated up. But he plastered on an inviting smile. He hadn’tdone anything wrong. He was comforting a friend.

“Hey Lizzie, how’s it going? You joining us?”

“Uh, yeah. If that’s okay. I’ve never done yoga before.”

“Of course. Come on in. Nicky is joining us, and he’s neverdone it either. It’s not difficult, I promise.”

Nicky pushed the doors to the gym open and laughed. “God,this brings back memories.”

Jasper glanced around the place. It still looked like italways had, and smelled a little worse, to be honest. He aimed for the stereo,pressed play on the relaxing CD with yoga music that was still stuck in the machinefrom last week, and began to unroll a dozen yoga mats. Slowly the other kidsbegan trickling in, some of them yawning and still dressed in pajamas.

“To be a teenager again,” Nicky muttered under his breathand Jasper followed his gaze. Gus and Jason were getting into a wrestlingmatch, and Jasper snorted.

“Guys, this is supposed to be relaxing and calming. Nofighting.”

“Party-pooper,” Nicky said, loud enough so everyone heard,and Jasper groaned when they all laughed loudly.

“He’s got your number, Father Jazz,” Amberlynn said,laughing.

“See if I invite you again,” Jasper told Nicky. “You cantake a first row seat for that. All right, everyone, choose your mats and sitdown with your legs folded at the ankles please.”

As always, there was a scramble to reach the mats in thelast row, but eventually everyone settled and Jasper turned down the music alittle. He folded himself on the mat in front of the class.