Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

After a few moments of getting his breathing right, Lucas rolled his

head to the side so he could look back at Helen.

?I think the worst is over,? he said, squeezing her hand. She

hadn?t realized that they had joined hands, but it felt right to her.

She squeezed back gently and smiled. He looked horrible. Much

worse than Helen could have guessed.

?Piece of cake,? she said blithely, trying to distract him. ?So what

are you doing next Friday night??

?What have you got in mind??

?We could try hitting each other with cars,? she suggested

cheerfully.

?Did that last weekend with Jase,? he said with mock regret.

?Go to the zoo and throw ourselves to the lions?? she fired back

quickly, desperate to keep him focused on her rather than his

caved-in chest.

?The Romans sort of wore that one out. Got anything original??

?I?ll think of something,? she warned him.

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?Can?t wait,? he breathed, and then turned his face away as he

rode another shivering wave of pain.

?Hey! Little help?? Helen yelled, her voice sliding up to a shriek

as she watched Lucas shake. ?Lucas isn?t doing so hot!?

?No, he isn?t doing so hot,? Cassandra said in a hoarse, bitter

voice from somewhere around Helen?s feet. Helen hadn?t realized

that anyone was in the hole with them while she and Lucas held

hands and cracked jokes, but she had the feeling that Cassandra

didn?t like what she had seen.

?Lower the boards down, it?s time to move them,? Cassandra

called up to her father, as if she was the one in charge.

Helen?s eyes widened in shock that any thirteen-year-old would