“He pulls the hood over my head. I try to pull back. I'm not trying to run away. I just want to see her... One last time...”

“Are you gonna put your shirt back on?” she blurted out. Chase froze, looking over his shoulder at her with the most maddening smile. “Why? Is this bothering you?” “I just…” Andie sputtered, floundering through her response. “I mean, what if we get pulled over or something?” “If we get pulled over, this could only work in your favor,” he said, running his hands over his chest. Andie tried to stifle a laugh. “My God, you’re insufferable.”

“He moved to run a hand through her cornrows, then pulled back remembering the one time he's tried that-Connie had lectured him on the Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not touch thy black girlfriend's hair. Ever.”

“The bruises on my arm?"she asked.From pulling you up,"he explained."I'm sorry."He touched her arm as if he were trying to take away the pain.”

“I slip her shirt over her head and she tries to cover herself, but I move her arms out of the way and kiss up her neck while I talk about all the things that are no longer just mine.'Will, stop.' She laughs and attempts to pull my hands away from her bra. 'You can't take off my bra, we're in our driveway. What if they come outside?''It's dark,' I whisper. 'And it's not your bra. It's our bra and I want it off.' I slip it off her, pulling her against me as I rub my hands down the length of her back, then around to the button on the front of her jeans. 'And I want to take off our pants.”

“Run,” he whispered. “Run.”“No, Rand,” I said, brushing the dirt from his face. “I’m tired of running.”“Forgive me, please.” He clutched my hand as his eyes beseeched me through tears of pain.“You’re forgiven.”He sighed once, then stopped breathing. The shine in his brown eyes dulled. I pulled his hood over his head.”