Page 117 of Run Away Home: Tempered

He laughs again. “She does nothing.”

“She?”

“Yes, she. She does nothing but look pretty.”

“So, you think she’s pretty?”

“That’s not what I meant. That’s an expression.”

“How did you meet her?”

“Uh, well... She’s also... We had the same foster mum.”

“So, she’s your sister?”

“Nope. No.”

“Got it. Okay.”

“It’s just... Danny and I, my brother, were together in that house for so long. Since I moved in, what, five years ago? Hayley was relatively new. Would you consider someone you’ve only known a little while a sibling?”

“I guess not.”

“Exactly.”

His eyes wander away from me.

“So...five years?”

His eyes dart right back over to me. He taps the island with his fingertips impatiently. “What is this, an interview?”

“I mean, kind of. You’re in my apartment. I’d like to get to know you.”

“I came to the United States five years ago.”

“And your parents didn’t come?”

“Nope.”

“You came alone?”

“Yup.”

“How old were you?”

“Sixteen.”

“And they let you do that?”

He sighs. “Yup.”

“That’s...interesting.”

He puts his palms to his face and rubs up and down. Then, he drags them all the way down past his chin. He blows out through his mouth so that his lips vibrate and make that motor sound...like he’s frustrated with all of my questions. He takes a big gulp of his vodka.

“They’re dead. Dead people can’t make rules.”

“Oh... I’m sorry.”

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