Page 19 of Saving Sparrow
“I’d like that… having classes with you.” He’d singled me out, and my smile fell a little. Maybe he hadn’t realized “we’ll” included Quentin too.
“Are you looking at colleges yet? We’re shooting for Wembly.”
“Wembly,” he said thoughtfully. “I think that’s in the stack of brochures I got. I haven’t really thought that far ahead yet.”
“Well, you should. Wembly’s very competitive. Early decision is the way to go,” I said, assuming—or hoping—he’d choose to go there.
Elliott nodded, glancing at the camisole again.
“You can wear it to school, if you want. No one will bother you once they know you’re our friend. They’re all terrified of Quentin. They aren’t scared of him because he’s actually scary,” I said, feeling the need to explain. “It’s just, well, he’s big, and protective of the people he cares about. He’s really just a softy with bad comedic timing and no filter.” I wanted to be Elliott’s friend. He seemed just as lost as we were deep down. Like maybe the universe hadn’t been fair to him either. But in order for it to work, he’d need to be Quentin’s friend too.
“Is…” He shifted on his feet. “Are there a lot of people like you in the world?”
“Like me? What do you mean?”
“Nice,” he replied, surprising me. “Are there a lot of nice people in the world?”
I didn’t give myself much time to feel flattered by his compliment because something about his question stuck out way more. “You say it like you haven’t lived in the world before.”
Something worse than fear flashed in his bright blue eyes, and he took one of his infamous steps back. His shoulder brushed against the dress I’d lent him. He’d hung it back up for me. “I should really go now.” He carved a wide path around me to head for the closet door.
“Wait.” I reached for his arm, but he snatched it away. We stared at each other for what seemed like forever. “Let me at least walk you out.”
He nodded, leading the way.
“You think we’re strange,” I said once we’d gotten to the back door. The woods through the backyard were the quickest route to his house. “You think we’re too close.”
Elliott stared into the trees. “I’ve never had a friend or a brother,” he said after some thought. “How would I know how you’re supposed to act? Maybe I’m the strange one. Do you think I’m strange?”
“No. I think you’re perfect.”
He snapped his gaze to me, eyes flickering over my face as if trying to spot the lie.
“It’s true,” I said. “You’re refreshing and interesting.”
He let out a deep breath, smiling a little. “I guess you are too.” He looked over his shoulder at the stairs. “It just feels like I’m intruding on something.”
“You’re not,” I swore. “We want you here.”
“But why?” His question held suspicion, like he didn’t get why someone would want him around.
I shrugged. “Because you’re an outcast. Like us.”
“It isn’t a choice for me, though. I’m not… normal.”
“Once you get to know us, you’ll see it isn’t a choice for us either. And in case you haven’t noticed, we’re far from normal.”
Elliott thought about that before slipping through the glass doors without a goodbye.
“Hey,” I called, catching up to him before he’d made it all the way down the patio stairs. “Fifty-six eighty-three. That’s the code to get into the house. Come over whenever you want.”
“Why fifty-six eighty-three?”
Strange question, but the real answer felt too cheesy, so I lied. “I don’t know. My mother came up with it.” He never did ask how she died—although I hadn’t extended the same sensitivity to him. I watched him circle the pool and disappear into the woods, missing his company already.
Quentin was still in the shower when I got back to our room, his terrible singing slipping through the closed bathroom door. I picked up the book Elliott had been reading. He’d gotten more than halfway through. I should’ve given it to him to take home, but maybe now he’d have a reason to come back. Preoccupied with thoughts of Elliott, Ididn’t hear Quentin come out of the bathroom until he lifted me up from behind, his wet, naked body drenching me.
“Quentin!” I shouted in annoyance as he rushed back into the shower with me, laughing the whole way.
