Katie McGarry

“A cold wind swept across the patio, causing me to shiver. Noah shrugged off his black leather jacket and tossed it around my shoulders. "How are you going to tutor me if you get fucking pneumonia?" I cocked an eyebrow. What an odd combination of romantic gesture and horribly crude wording.”

“Baby, you’ve got enough strength and tenacity to takedown drug dealers. You’ll be fine.”

“I'd tried normal and I'd failed at it. Me... a failure. Unlike the ACT, I couldn't retake this part of my life and erase an unpleasant score. There was no blank canvas to start a new painting or sketch pad for a fresh drawing.”

“Think she could have told us we were going to fight the NFL?" "Would that have stopped you?" "No" "Me either."The laughter between the two of us echoed into the night.”

“Her eyes met mine again. “So what does this mean for us?”I lowered my forehead to hers. “It means you’re mine.”

“I watched you battle against the worst memory of your life and I watched you win. Make no mistake, Echo. I battled right beside you.”

“I barely brushed towards her cheek as I moved towards her mouth, her nails tickled my chest, driving me insane. Kissing her became my single reason for breathing.”

“Wrapping my arms around her, I walked her backward into the brick. “Tell me you chose me, Echo.”She licked her lips. Those green eyes smoldered, calling me to her. “I chose you.”

“Fabulous. This night had shifted from the best to bad to Saw in record time.”

“I stood up and kissed the top of Beth’s head. “You ready, bro?”“I’ve been waiting for you to catch up, man.” Isaiah opened the front door, his eyes cold and deadly. Beth’s one good eye widened. “No,” she whispered. “I ain’t bailing you boys out,” said Dale.“Never asked you to,” I said and walked for the door.”

“Beth had been both wrong and right. Echo couldn’t hurt anyone, especially when she seemed so breakable herself. But the need I felt to be the one to keep the world from shattering her only confirmed Beth’s theory. I was falling for her and I was fucked.”

“I gazed into her beautiful green eyes and her fear melted. A shy smile tugged at her lips and at my heart. Fuck me and the rest of the world, I was in love.”

“He brought up that game like it was yesterday. For me, it was eons ago. Those memories belonged to a boy who died alongside his parents in a house fire.”

“Liar," she spat. "Because the only way anyone will ever be okay with me is if they love me. Really love me enought to not care that I'm damaged. You don't love people. You have sex with them. So how could you want to be with me?”

“They weren't coming back and I could never re-create what we had, but I could move forward.”

“I'm scared if I stay, I'll keep looking back and never look forward.”

“Are you ready to take the ACT on Saturday?" my father asked.Did chickens enjoy being put on trucks labeled KFC? "Sure.”

“I loved fast driving.Isaiah and I had drag raced all last summer. What I didn't love was a middle-aged nut job who couldn't steer straight.”

“She revealed her pale face and sniffed again. One red curl clung to her tearstained cheek. My hand reached out to release it, but I hesitated a mere heartbeat away from her skin. I swear to God she quit breathing and even blinking, and for a second so did I. In a deliberate movement, I freed the curl.~Noah”

“I know crazy when I see it." The moment the words flew out of my mouth I regretted them. Sometimes when you see the line, you think it's a good idea to cross it--until you do.~Noah”

“I saw the world in black and white instead of the vibrant colours and shades I knew existed.”

“The worst type of crying wasn't the kind everyone could see--the wailing on street corners, the tearing at clothes. No, the worst kind happened when your soul wept and no matter what you did, there was no way to comfort it. A section withered and became a scar on the part of your soul that survived. For people like me and Echo, our souls contained more scar tissue than life.”

“There are edges around the black and every now and then a flash of color streaks out of the gray. But I can never really grasp any of the slivers of memories that emerge.”

“It's like I have this large black hole in my brain and it's sucking the life out of me. The answers are in there so I sit for hours and stare. No matter how hard and long I look, I only see darkness.”

“It doesn't get better," I said. "The pain. The wounds scab over and you don't always feel like a knife is slashing through you. But when you least expect it, the pain flashes to remind you you'll never be the same.”

“So, Noah, Echo’s the coat girl.” I had a nickname? Noah chuckled. “Yeah.” “Echo, is your father aware of this relationship?” “Would you believe me if I told you I didn’t know about it?” Her eyes laughed. “Yes.”

“El peor tipo de llanto no era el tipo que todos podían ver, los lamentos en las esquinas, el desgarro de la ropa. No, el peor tipo es cuando tu alma lloraba y no importa lo que hagas, no hay manera de consolarla. Una parte se marchita y se convierte en una cicatriz en la parte de tu alma que sobrevive. Para la gente como Echo y yo, nuestras almas contenían más tejido cicatrizante que vida misma.”

“We’d read about sirens in English this fall; Greek mythology bullshit about women so beautiful, their voices so enchanting, that men did anything for them. Turned out that mythology crap was real because every time I saw her, I lost my mind.”

“In a lightning-fast move, he placed both of his hands on the brick wall, caging me with his body. He leaned toward me and my heart shifted into a gear I didn't know existed. His warm breath caressed my neck, melting my frozen skin. I tilted my head, waiting for the solid warmth of his body on mine. I could see his eyes again and those dark orbs screamed hunger ."I heard a rumor.""What's that?" I struggled to get out."It's your birthday."Terrified speaking would break the spell, I licked my suddenly dry lips and nodded."Happy birthday." Noah drew his lips closer to mine; that sweet musky smell overwhelmed my senses. I could almost taste his lips when he unexpectedly took a step back, inhaling deeply. The cold air slapped me into the land of sober.”

“I love you enough to never make you choose.”

“Luke used to give me butterflies. Noah spawned mutant pterodactyls.”

“Screw what Mom and Dad think. Screw the rest of the town. Screw perfection. This girl is mine.”

“I won't let you go." I blink. As if he could stop me. "You won't let me go." "No, I won't let you go. You're mine and I don't lose.”

“I've fallen in love with him. I've done it. I've given him power over me.”

“You're falling for me like I'm falling for you. That's why you're pushing me so hard.”

“I like you. I. Like. You. I'll admit you're annoying. Sometimes you agitate me to the brink of insanity, but you can throw it back at me like no one else. When you laugh, I want to laugh. When you smile, I want to smile. Hell, I want to be the one to make you smile.”

“That must be love: when everything else in the world could implode and you wouldn't care as long as you had that one person standing beside you.”

“Some guys touch the girls they love. Others touch the girls they use. The worst touch girls they hurt.”

“Quiet anger frightens me. The drunks, the idiots, the ones that rage easily - them I can handle. I know when to step out of their way. It's the ones that hold the anger in, the men that think about what they do and how they do it, that scare me. They're the ones that cause damage.”

“Emotions is evil. People who make me feel are worse. I take comfort in the stone inside of me. If I don't feel, I don't hurt.”

“Her siren smile lit up my world. “Noah.”“Echo. You look …” I let my eyes wander up and down as I approached the car. “Appetizing.”Her laughter tickled my soul. “I think we’ve had this conversation before.”I settled between her legs and cradled her face with my hands. “And I think at the end of that night something like this also happened.”Her lips feathered against mine and she giggled. “You ready for a new normal?” she whispered.I kissed her lips one more time and plucked the keys from her hand. “Yes, and I’m driving.”

“Though she wouldn’t admit it, I think she also wanted another few minutes to rock Alexander.”

“Her body rocked with silent giggles and my lips turned up. I loved making her happy.”

“Everything in her life was in flux and she needed strong, steady and stable. Oddly, she found those three things in me. Who would ever have guessed I’d be the reliable sort?”

“With a sigh, I moved my lips once more against hers before shifting and pulling her body to my side. “I’m in love with you.”Echo settled her head in the crook of my arm as her fingertips lazily touched my face. “I know. I love you, too.”

“A burning heat warmed my blood.It was a slow kiss at first—all I meant it to be, but then Echo touched me. Her hands on my face, in my hair. And then she angled her body to mine. Warmth, enticing pressure on all the right parts, and Echo’s lips on mine—fireworks.She became my world.”

“My siren became a temptress with that seductive smile on her lips.”

“Her sweet smell drove my body higher as I nibbled on the edge of her earlobe. “I’m not stopping you. You plan. I’ll kiss.” Echo turned her head to look at me over her shoulder. My siren became a temptress with that seductive smile on her lips. A mistake on her part. I caressed her cheek and kissed those soft lips. I expected her to shy away. We’d been playing this game for over an hour: she plotted while I teased.Leaving for the summer was important to her and she was important to me. But instead of the quick peck I’d anticipated, she moved her lips against mine. A burning heat warmed my blood.It was a slow kiss at first—all I meant it to be, but then Echo touched me. Her hands on my face, in my hair. And then she angled her body to mine. Warmth, enticing pressure on all the right parts, and Echo’s lips on mine—fireworks.She became my world. Filling my senses so that all I felt and saw and tasted was her. Kisses and touches and whispered words of love and when my hand skimmed down the curve of her waist and paused on the hem of her jeans my body screamed to continue, but my mind knew it was time to stop.With a sigh, I moved my lips once more against hers before shifting and pulling her body to my side. “I’m in love with you.”Echo settled her head in the crook of my arm as her fingertips lazily touched my face. “I know. I love you, too.”“I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.” If I had, then maybe we never would have been apart.“It’s okay,” she murmured. “We’re together now and that’s all that matters.” I kissed her forehead and she snuggled closer to me. The world felt strange. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t fighting someone or something. My brothers were safe. Echo knew the truth. Soon, I’d be free from high school and foster care. Hopefully, I’d be admitted on late acceptance to college. Contentment and happiness were unfamiliar emotions, but ones I could learn to live with.“Do you mind?” she asked in a small voice that indicated nerves. “That we’re taking it slow?”“No.” And it was the truth. Everything in her life was in flux and she needed strong, steady and stable. Oddly, she found those three things in me. Who would ever have guessed I’d be the reliable sort? “Besides, taking it slow creates buildup. I like anticipation.”Her body rocked with silent giggles and my lips turned up. I loved making her happy.”

“I’ll go wherever you want, baby.”

“I hope your future includes me. I mean, someone has to continue to kick your butt in pool.” Noah laughed as he snagged his fingers around my belt loops and dragged me closer. “I was letting you win.” “Please.” His eyes had about fallen out of his head when I’d sunk a couple of balls off the break. “You were losing. Badly.” I wondered if he also reveled in the warmth of being this close again. “Then I guess I’ll have to keep you around. For good. You’ll be useful during a hustle.” He lowered his forehead to mine and his brown eyes, which had been laughing seconds ago, darkened as he got serious. “I have a lot I want to say to you. A lot I want to apologize for.” “Me, too.”