Page 245 of Bad Prince
Like she’s telling the entire room?—
this one is mine.
My face heats instantly.
I feel it.
Every eye.
Every whisper snapping into focus.
I don’t pull away.
Because I don’t want to embarrass her.
Because I do like her.
Because I’ve been acting like we’re together?—
even if we’ve never said it.
She pulls back slowly. “Stop thinking about her. I’m right here. And we’re good together. I want to be with you, Tris. You know that.”
Smiles like nothing just shifted.
Like she didn’t just define something I haven’t figured out how to name yet.
I clear my throat, grab her crutch. Don’t answer because I can’t. Not yet. I’m still holding out hope for something that keeps slipping out of reach.
“Ready?”
She nods.
Like it’s normal.
Like we’re normal.
We walk out together, slow and careful, the room watching us go.
Outside, the sun hits hard.
“You good?” she asks softly.
“Yeah.”
Lie.
She doesn’t push.
Just squeezes my arm.
“I’ve got rehab.”
“I’ll walk you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
