Page 39 of Phantom Flower

The complete opposite of the monsters who had cornered him.

The park was mostly empty this time of day. A few students cut across the far path but none came close.

Word about what happened in the hallway had already spread.

I could feel it in the way people glanced at us and then looked away fast.

Marco’s pencil paused. He glanced up at me.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. His voice was so soft it almost got lost in the wind. “You shouldn’t get into fights for me.”

I shook my head.

“No,” I said. “Don’t apologize for that. They don’t get to shit on you while I’m here. I won’t tolerate it, Marco. Not from Brad, not from any of those entitled assholes who think they own this place.”

He bit his lip and looked back down at his sketch.

“But you got in trouble,” he mumbled. “I don’t want you getting hurt because of me. You already have enough going on at home with Daniel and everything.”

I reached over and ruffled his curls, the same way I always did when he started spiraling into that anxious place.

Marco was my sunshine in this concrete hell. I wouldn’t let anyone upset him.

“Stop worrying about me,” I said. “I can handle this. I’m okay, trust me.”

Marco’s shoulders slowly relaxed. He popped the end of his pencil between his lips for a second, chewing on it. The black ribbon in his hair had slipped again. I reached over without thinking and straightened it for him.

Then I reached into my bag and pulled out the small paper bag I had grabbed from the convenience store that morning on my way to school. I held it open between us.

Marco’s eyes lit up immediately. He loved these stupid strawberry candies.

I had started buying them for him weeks ago when I noticed how his hands shook after bad days.

He never asked, but I just kept showing up with them.

“For you,” I said, shaking the bag a little. “Take as many as you want.”

“You didn’t have to,” he mumbled, unwrapping one and popping it into his mouth. His cheeks puffed out a little as he sucked on it. “But thank you. They’re my favorite.”

“I know.” I smiled.

“Thanks, Rei,” he mumbled around the sweet. “For everything.”

I ruffled his curls. “Always, sunshine. Always.”

Chapter 11

Rei Kurosaki

I kept my head down as I walked toward the side gate, the one almost no one used after dark. The sky had gone that deep indigo color, and the only lights left on campus were the ones along the path and the glow from the main building. Most students had already cleared out. I should have been home hours ago, but the thought of sitting through another fake family dinner made my stomach turn.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was probably Marco checking in again. I ignored it.

I was almost at the gate when I heard footsteps behind me.

“Hey. Kurosaki.”

I turned.