Page 113 of Spark

Ignited but fighting it

Ooh, baby

Embers are flying inside me

Help me, help me,

Feels like I’m dying

Can’t bare my soul to you

Too much to lose

You wouldn’t choose me, anyway

You’d choose a dirtbag over me

Spark to flame

Flame to pyre

I’m dying inside

I’d set fire to my soul

To make you mine

I can’t speak the truth to you

But baby, here’s what I’d do:

Pull my head outthe sand

Torpedo the band

Piss off my brother

Quit being a drummer

I’d burn at the stake for you

Burn the world down for you

Do whatever it takes,

Anything, everything

If only, if only, if only, if only

My gem of a best friend

Would love me, too

Trembling and wide-eyed, I look up from Kendrick’s journal and clutch my heart. And a second later, my phone buzzes with a text from my building manager:

Apologies, Ruby. Looks like we need one more week. Sorry for any inconvenience.

“Holy shit,” I breathe out. Feeling like I’m in a daze, I turn off the burner on the stove just as Kendrick’s front door opens and his happy voice sings out, “What smells so good, Ruby Duby? Hey, where are you, baby? I’m hungry for a Ruby Deluxe!”

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