“Tech simulations,” I said, the realization hitting me in the gut. “Jake, you’re so dead! You tricked me with that purple pill!”“But now you know you can’t control the elements,” he said.Like that made me feel better. “I hope you have a will!”“Blame Jag,” he responded.“Oh, I do,” I snapped. “Trust me, he’s going to die too.” I imagined the way he’d smile when he saw me. He wouldn’t even see my fist coming.”

“What do you have that I could possibly want?”With a knowing smile, he pulled an envelope from his back pocket. Even from across the room, Jag’s handwriting made my heart pound. I took several steps forward, never removing my eyes from the two letters of my name. Jake could have anything he wanted. Kidney, liver, whatever.”

“As much as I didn't want to, I had to read Jag's note. I pulled it out of my back pocket. His handwriting still made my breath catch, but when I opened it, I wanted to cry.The paper contained two words: Fly, babe.I shredded it into little pieces. Fly? The stupid boy wanted me to fly? I'd fly off the handle when I caught up to him. Then he'd see me fly.”

“Vi?" Jag's soft voice called from the other room. I'd been soaking so long, the water in the tub was cold. I stepped out, careful not to get the book wet, and wrapped a towel around myself."In here," I whispered. He had switched the lamp on and was rubbing his eyes when I came into the bedroom."Hey."I slipped the book back onto the table next to his bed. "I didn't get it wet.""Not. That." His eyes raked over my only-towel-covered body with a hungry expression."Knock it off." I pulled the towel tighter and returned to the bathroom. He followed me, putting his hand on the door before I could close it. I looked anywhere but at him. Lying fully clothed in bed with him was bad enough.I couldn't help it when I drank him in, starting at his feet and slowly creeping up to his neck, past his chin, lips, nose to his eyes. When I finally reached them, my heart clutched almost painfully. I swallowed hard and cleared my throat, playing with the end of my towel."Vi, babe-""Don't talk like that," I said.He smiled his Jag-winner. I took a shuddering breath and tried to focus. "Don't smile like that either. It's not fair.""Okay, then. Let's talk about being fair." He carefully wove his fingers through mine. The way he studied the ground was adorable. He took a few slow steps back into the bedroom, pulling me with him."Jag-”

“I miss you so much my lungs have forgotten how to breathe.”

“Maybe if she saw Jag again... maybe that would wake her up. But if she sees him and remembers, I'm nobody. In more than ways than one.”

“One question," I said. "Did you tell me all that because you think I'm going to die?""No," he said. "It's because you're doing something brave, and I felt I should too.""I'll take that as a yes," I said.”