Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

thing, but at least it?s a reason why she left me. I?ve never had one

of those before.?

?She could still be alive, you know,? Lucas insisted. ?Regardless

of what Cass and my dad think.?

?I don?t know what to feel about that yet,? Helen replied honestly.

?Kate has been more of a mother to me than Beth, or whatever she

was called, ever was. I guess I?ll decide how I feel when I find out

the truth. The whole truth.?

?That works,? Lucas replied, smiling out at the water for a moment

before another thought occurred to him and his face fell. ?For

now, anyway.?

He squeezed her fingers, and Helen glanced down, surprised

again that they had joined hands when she wasn?t paying attention.

She didn?t know who had initiated this new habit of theirs, but she

realized that it would be nearly impossible to stop. She had never

held a boy?s hand before and it should have made her shy, but it

didn?t. It felt like the most natural thing in the world for her to

touch him. That thought made her shake her head in wonder. She

looked up and noticed that he was looking down at their hands as

well, probably thinking the same thing.

?Do you want to sit down for a moment?? she asked, suddenly

conscious of the fact that the last time she had seen him he was unable

to walk without Jason?s help.

?Nope. But I wouldn?t mind something else to eat.? He threw a

distracted glance over his shoulder at the house.

?Me too. My god, I?m a pig!? Helen said, still surprised at herself.

?You went hours without eating during the heal,? he said, leading

her away from the water?s edge. ?That?s crazy talk.?

?You know, if it weren?t for the whole ?agonizing pain? thing, I

think I could get to like heals. People carry you around, and feed