Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

for a few moments, just staring at each other.

?Close your eyes,? he whispered. Helen?s heart was racing and

she had a feeling Lucas could hear it.

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?Calm down,? he said, smiling with his eyes closed. ?Try and slow

your pulse down if you can.?

?I?m trying. Do you have to stand so close?? Helen asked, her

voice thin and shaky.

?Yes. I don?t want you to get away from me. That would be bad,?

he said in a deadpan voice, maintaining his concentration. A few

seconds passed. When he next spoke he sounded very calm and far

away.

?Now. Focus on your body. Take a deep breath and follow it in,

like your brain is floating gently inside that air you?re breathing.?

He waited a few moments for Helen to get to where he was.

It took her a few breaths, but eventually she was able to do it. He

knew exactly when she was ready. ?Good. Now you?re inside of

yourself,? he said triumphantly. ?Can you feel the weight of you, all

stacked up and all tied together??

She did feel it. She could feel the weight of her skin on top of her

muscles on top of her bones, all stacked up, just like he had said.

There were millions and millions of little bits of her, all marching

around like soldiers with different but cohesive orders. Those were

her cells, she realized at once. She giggled, thinking how strange it

was to be this massive army and never feel it. She heard Lucas

laugh, too, and she knew that he was right there with her, experiencing

what she was experiencing.

?Now I want you to do something really hard,? he said, his voice

light and curious, almost childlike. ?I want you to stay inside, but

also look out, if you can. Don?t be scared. I?m right here with you.?