Page 37 of Ordinary Girl

Her head snaps back around, her eyes narrowed as she looks at me. “Do you ever think about the harm you do to others?”

“We don’t harm anyone who doesn’t deserve it, Ana. Only those who harm us. That’s why we’ll make the Hawks pay for what they did to your mama. What they did toyou.”

She looks away, back out of the window. And she doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t respond. So we sit in silence until the food and our drinks arrive.

“You want some?” I ask, picking up a slice of steaming hot pizza. She shakes her head, keeping it turned away from me as she continues to stare out of the window. “Suit yourself.” I take a bite. “It’s good, though. It’s very good.”

She reaches for her drink, still keeping her head turned away, and takes a long sip of soda.

“You settling in at Dag and Freja’s?”

I’m trying to make conversation here, because we need to get her to accept that she’s going nowhere, at least, not until we finish the job: make sure she’ll be safe.

“I guess.” She sits back and finally looks at me. “They’re really nice, actually. It’s hard to believe they were once a part of the club.”

“They still are a part of the club. They always will be. To be honest, the place would fall apart without them.”

“Would it?”

I can’t help smiling at her. “Maybe.”

She drops her gaze to the pizza. “Can I have some?”

I push the plate toward her. “Knock yourself out.”

She picks up a slice and takes a small bite, dropping her gaze again as she chews and then washes it down with more soda. “Itisreally good. You were right.”

“Not often I’m wrong, kiddo.”

She looks up at me, and this time there’s the faintest hint of a smile fighting to make an appearance, even though she’s trying her hardest not to let it happen.

“You want to share the rest of this pizza?” I ask.

She pauses for a moment. “Is that okay? I probably should’ve ordered one of my own–”

“It’s fine. There’s more than enough for two people here. I’ll order some fries on the side.”

I signal to the server to bring us a side order of fries, and I watch as Ana eats, occasionally turning her head to look out of the window, even though there’s nothing particularly interesting out there. Nothing but your average street, full of people going about their business.

“It’s really difficult, getting used to the idea that this is my life now.” She keeps her head turned away from me, hershoulders tensing up again. “It’s hard. Because this life, it’s… it’s not anything I ever imagined I’d be a part of. It scares me.”

I put my pizza down and lean forward. She’s got every right to feel this way, but I’m not sure what I can do or say to make her feel better.

“That’s to be expected. But there really is no reason to be scared, we’re looking out for you. We’ll protect you, I promise.”

She looks at me, and there’s a mixture of fear and wariness in her eyes. “Can I trust you?”

“Yes, you can trust me. You can trust all of us.”

“Because it doesn’t feel like I can trust anyone. I’ve lost everything I ever knew, my whole world changed in a heartbeat and you have no idea how utterly terrifying that is.”

“I get it.”

She shakes her head, she doesn’t believe me, but I understand more than she realizes, and I want her to trust me. It might make all our lives a lot easier.

“I get it, Ana.”

“How can you?” she whispers, her voice laced with sadness, and I’m shocked at how bad I really do feel for this kid. How helpless I feel at shit I can’t change for her.

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