427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIGB8HJ2Ru
"What happened to John?" he asked. Then he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. "I'm sorry."427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNZvW1ENb5
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfO08Gn0CX
"It's okay," I said, nodding. "He was shot two times in the chest. That's what the detective on his case told me. That's all I found out, really. I didn't want to press the issue, I guess."427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1aOuygOFt
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMPyebQVgo
Jude slouched his shoulders and dropped his head, closing his eyes. Then he reopened them, stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my hair.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JxXAzF7Qx
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwH62dUiZu6
"I know it's hard losing someone you care about," he whispered. "I'll help you, if you want. We'll find where he's buried and we'll say goodbye."427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukk0mqouvH
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3DmLpXwt7
"Thank you," I said softly.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtMizqCsyK
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSErVfanPJ
I wasn't aware that my arms were around his neck, that I was moving closer to him, until he cleared his throat and untangled himself from my body. It was strange, but it looked like he was rather reluctant to do it.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡku5gcOQzL6
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2dl8FkGwT
"We're getting close," he said, looking back at me as he started to walk again. "Are you gonna be okay?"427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WdWvRenLm
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Z3BsbKeMs
"I'll be fine." I wasn't but he didn't need to know that.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ARXa1CBgQ
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0A0kysXMy4
"Good." He smiled and took hold of my hand, pulling me across the street with him. He let go once we were on the other side and looked at me. "She'll be happy you came."427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz6ceEmVTb
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rbTDxDmJs
I smiled thinly as I looked up at the gates of the cemetery. We were inside before I realized, then walking down a rows of graves. The weather was nice and the grass was soft underneath my sneakers. When Jude stopped suddenly I almost slammed right into him. He was so still, his head turned to the left.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0ocagwllP
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMyKOHQaup
"Kendall," he said, gazing at me. "Meet my sister, Abbie."427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuJFHVo5gY
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vai4To5VS
My eyes saw the granite, and the name etched into it, and the words beneath. My heart clenched inside my chest and I reached down to grip his hand, squeezing it until I thought mine might break. We stared at each other for a long time, the wind rustling around us, then Jude smirked, leaned down, and kissed me.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMOij3LSLD
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifYkMfVafQ
You see, this is the part where I should have pushed him away. I should have screamed at him, or hit him, or done something to get his lips off of mine. But I didn't. God, I didn't. I just let him keep kissing me. I let his tongue taste me, his hands hold my hips, pulling me against him, his breath quicken.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4Lo1UMnQ4
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8M4jqqtR5W
A crow cawed overhead, making me jump, breaking us apart. I kept my eyes narrowed at the ground until I heard Jude walk a few feet and sit down. Then he stared talking.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hdVKWEM7y
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogqb0eVGBV
"Ab, this is Kendall. She's a girl I know from school. I really like it here, but I miss you. Mom still cries when she thinks I'm not watching, and Dad, well, he started drinking again. Don't you think that's a bit ironic? He's drinking but I'm the one that gets sent to a shrink? It blows without you here."427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlVryT8UgK
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9m2vXq6tNb
When his shoulders started to shake and he reached a hand out to touch the grave, I realized he was crying. He was crying more than I had ever seen another boy cry in my entire life. I dropped to my knees beside him and took his hand and just held it. Before I knew what I was doing, my hands were in his hair, stroking, and I was laying my head against his shoulder.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbrbEXBDWd
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85AIdiMbOa
"Thank you for coming with me," he said quietly, like someone else would overhear. "It really meant a lot that I could share this part of my life with you."427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzboA1MZBjp
427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSouNSv50Qj
I didn't know what to say, so we sat in silence, while the crow cawed again and left us to be alone together among the dead.427Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6wlofM1an