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“Because us girls gotta stick together,” she says with a shrug. “And because… I think you may be good for my brother.”
That takes me by surprise. I lower myself down onto the blanket and take the soda that Polly’s offering me. “Thanks.”
She smiles self-consciously. “It’s nice to have someone to hang out with.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “It is.”
56
URI
If Boris Sobakin didn’t know I was coming for him before, he certainly does now. There’s a deadvor’shead on his doorstep to attest to that.
Wearily, I climb up the steps to my room. I’m passing the gaming room when I realize that there’s sound coming from inside. It’s uncharacteristically late for Lev to be up. When I push the door open, I find him sitting on the floor, eyes rooted on the screen. Polina is spread out on the sofa just behind him, her hands tucked beneath her face. She used to sleep like that as a kid, too.
There was a period right after the accident when she would sneak into my bedroom at night. The only reason it stopped was because Lev started having his nightmares and he needed me more than she did once the sun fell. But seeing her like this again… it brings me back.
I wave a hand in Lev’s face to alert him to my presence. He grunts at me but doesn’t take his headphones off until he’s finished his game. I sit down beside Polina, moving her legs aside just a little to make room for me.
“You and Polly had a good day?” I ask him.
He mumbles something under his breath but I don’t quite catch it. Pretty sure I heard something likepinky swearbut that’s all I can decipher.
“Do you wanna tell me about it, buddy?”
“No.”
I frown. He’s not usually so abrupt. “No? Surely you can tell me something about it.”
He’s not meeting my eye, which is a surefire sign that he’s done something he’s not supposed to do. Sighing, I pat his shoulder. “If you’ve been down to see Alyssa, it’s okay. You’re not in trouble.”
He still doesn’t really relax. Instead, he keeps looking at Polly. “Can’t tell you about my day.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Why?”
“Polly and me agreed.”
All I’m hearing is that he and Polly are making headway. I’m willing to forgive a lot if it means the two of them can get closer.
“Well, then, if Polly and you agreed, you don’t have to tell me what happened today.”
Lev looks mollified by that reassurance. “I can tell you about my morning!” he says with enthusiasm.
“Go for it.”
“I went downstairs to see Alyssa.”Big shock there.“And she was playing video games.”
That takes me by surprise. “Alyssa was playing video games by herself? Without you?”
“Yeah, she really likes it. She’s even made friends.”
I stop short, unease spreading through me like wildfire.There’s no way…“Friends, you say?”
“Uh-huh.”
Then it hits me. She can connect with people online. She can track down friends and family just as long as she has their usernames. Fuck.
Fuck.
