Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

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?Done,? he said, holding his hands out in a placating gesture. ?I

told you once, and I meant it, that I?d never ask you to do

something that I wouldn?t do myself. We?re in this together.?

?You?re . . . That?s . . . I can?t believe you?re putting this on me!?

she yelled, pointing a finger at him childishly. She stomped around

in a circle, kicking at the sand and trying to figure out why she was

so upset.

?I?m not putting it on you! It?s on both of us! That?s what I?ve

been trying to tell you,? he urged, raising his voice in frustration.

?I?ve always felt stuck on this island, and I always thought track

would be my one way to get off of it. Now you?re telling me to give

up on all of my plans like it?s the easiest thing in the world!?

?It?s easier than dying!? he shouted at her, but there was a humorous

lilt creeping into his voice and a smile tugging at his lips.

?And I don?t know if you?ve noticed this or not, but you can fly.

You?re not going to be stuck anywhere again!?

Helen didn?t want to laugh. In fact, she was working very hard to

give him a penetrating glare, but no matter how hard she tried, she

couldn?t keep a straight face. She made a horrible noise, a huge

piggy-sounding snort, and that made Lucas double up and laugh so

hard he had to put his hands on his knees to brace himself. As

Helen covered her face and really let herself laugh, she felt Lucas

put his arms around her.

They held on to each other, each of them propping the other up.

That?s when Helen started to understand how things really worked

between her and Lucas. They had to do this together, had to share

fifty-fiftythe huge burdens that had been placed on them, or they

would be crushed.

Lucas turned his lips toward her cheek as he ran his hand up her