Page 96 of The Rat

“I’m on my own.”

“No. You’ve gotme.”

“Only for aweek.”

Sebastiansighed. “Ollie told me you knewthe girl in the article.”

Rory bobbed his head.“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry you found outlike that.”

“I should’ve known. I feelshit that I didn’t know.”

“If no one told you, howcould you have possibly known?”

Rory shook hishead, then tappedhis chest, the place where he had a vast emptiness instead of aheart. “I mean, I should’ve known. I should’ve felt something, knewsomething was wrong.”

“You don’t have some sixthsense.”

“I guess not.”

Sebastian hissed, then reachedfor Rory’shand. “What the hell did you do to yourself?”

“I had an argument with thewall.”

“Who won?”

“The wall, but it wasclose.”

Sebastian laughed lightly and rubbedhis thumb over Rory’s knuckles. “It’s gonna be okay,Rory.”

“No, it’s not, it won’t be okay. I can’tthink of a single way, any of this is going to endwell.”

“What are youtalkingabout?”

“Maybe I just don’t think aboutthe end… Ithink about the now.”

Sebastian dropped Rory’s hand,then pressed the back of his fingers to Rory’s forehead.“You feeling allright?”

“No, but I think you can make mefeel better…” He shoved Sebastian’s hand away from his face and straddledhim. “Kiss me.”

“You think a kiss will makeyou better?”

“No, but it might make mefeel less dead.”

Sebastian eyed his lips,and Rory closed hiseyes, waiting, but the only kiss he got was brief, and on hischeek.

“A proper kiss.”

“No.”

“Please.” Rory opened hiseyes, and clutched Sebastian’s shoulders. “Please, I won’t ask everagain, I swear.”

“Rory—”

He swooped toconnect their lips,but Sebastian’s hands shot up, and caught his chest.“Stop…”

“Please, Sebastian.”

---