Credence

I shift in my seat, the sudden bulge between my legs swelling.

“Yeah,” I murmur sarcastically as I lift my bottle to my lips. “Because there’s no danger here whatsoever.”

Dad shoots me a look.

Pretty sure he knows by now that it’s going to be a long fucking winter.

Tiernan

“What’s this?” I dart my eyes up to Noah before taking the bag he’s handing me.

We’ve been running to town every chance we get over the past few weeks, anticipating the end of our cheeseburger and milkshake runs. I also needed to hit the pharmacy today to stock up on everything under the sun that can remedy what might hit me up on the peak this winter, when I won’t be able to go to town for what ails me. I’m prepared for headaches, sinus issues, joint pain, back pain, cramps, allergies—not that I currently have those, but you never know—and I’m about to be all stocked up on my birth control.

I debated going off, but… I guess it’s just best to stay on my routine.

He shrugs. “I’ve never gotten a girl a birthday present,” he says as I peer into the bag. “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to wear it.”

I reach in, pulling out a T-shirt and baseball cap. We stand in the corner of the store, waiting for my script to be filled, and I set the bag on the floor, fanning out the shirt.

It’s light blue with the town’s emblem on the breast, and I turn it over, seeing the same Van der Berg Extreme logo covering the whole back. It’s just like Noah’s, only his is white.

I grin. “Is this your way of telling me you want your clothes back?”

“Just thought you might like something that fits you a little bet—” He pauses, rethinking. “Actually, my clothes look pretty good on you. I just thought you’d like something new is all.”

Yeah. I love it. I don’t have many T-shirts of my own. Just school ones, and those don’t have good memories, so this one will be fun to wear.

I look at the burgundy-colored cap with the word WILD written in cursive.

“It was either that or DIVA,” he says.

I laugh and pull it onto my head, peering at him under the bill. “I am a DIVA,” I allow. “But I’d rather be a wild diva.”

I reach in, wrapping one arm around his neck for a quick hug. “Thanks.”

I pull away, but his arm is around my waist, holding me to him for a real hug. I falter, taken back.

But then, I tighten my embrace.

It feels good—hugging someone who doesn’t want to pull away first.

“My mom calls me sometimes,” he says, his voice low and pained. “My dad doesn’t know.”

I back up, releasing him, so I can look in his eyes.

“Not sure why I’m telling you.” His voice is quiet. “She wants money in her commissary account.”

I watch him, listening. No one talks about her. I don’t even know why she’s in jail.

“And I put the money in her account, because I let myself enjoy the idea for a moment that she needs me.” He gives me a sad smile, looking so solemn. So serious. Not Noah. “Even though I know I’m just the first person she assumes she can take advantage of. She knows my dad won’t talk to her. That Kaleb can’t talk to her.”

Noah can’t talk to Jake. I gathered that much in my first week here.

He doesn’t have anyone in that house to really connect to. I never really saw that before.

“I wish she was dead.” Noah stares at the floor but then looks up at me. “I wish she was dead, because then I could love her.”

I stare at him, and he stares at me, both of us barely breathing but calm.