finds a hidden room in her uncle’s house and meets Colin and finds out that he’s her cousin. After that, she no longer feels alone. What’s yours?”
“When she discovers the garden and it changes her.”
“That’s a good one.” Did he say that because I’m a girl who just found her secret garden? Will it change me? “Most guys I know would never read it. Why do you like it?”
“Sentinels are sort of like Mary, aren’t we?” His voice was quiet. “We’re alone in the world, taken from our true parents. I like to think of the libraries as our secret garden. Our escape.”
The emotions in his voice made my heart ache for him. I was lucky. I knew what it was like to have a real family. I had Pop and Nana, and the memory of my mom.
Not able to look him in the eyes, I decided we needed a less emotional subject. “So where are you from?
“I was born in a small market town, Framlingham in Suffolk, England.” Something like a bittersweet smile crossed his face as he mentioned the town. “I haven’t any memories of the place. I was a baby when I was taken.”
“You’ll have to go and visit one day. I was born here. In Boston, I mean. Not like right here in my room. A hospital.” My cheeks heated at how ridiculous that sounded.
He laughed.
Gah. Really, Gia? I glanced around my messy room to avoid his stare, wondering if he got into anything while I was sleeping.
From the corner of my eye, I spotted him shift to see where I was looking. Our eyes met again and the corners of his mouth lifted. “Don’t worry. I only glanced at your journal on your desk.”
I stifled a gasp. “You didn’t.”
He chuckled. “No. I wouldn’t invade your privacy. Besides, it’s too dark in here to read.”
“Funny.” I tossed my pillow at him. “So what are you doing here? You didn’t come for small talk.”
“I came to get you. Get dressed. Pack a change of clothes and anything else you may need.” He skulked to the window, turned, and winked at me. “Meet me in the café down the street.”
“Why?”
“I’ll tell you in the café.”
My hand flew to my chest. “Am I in danger? Is Pop?”
“Not if you do as I ask.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” I said sourly.
He straddled the windowsill. “Just hurry.”
“You know, that window was locked.”
“Yes, it was.” He grinned and ducked through the open window, barely making a sound as he went down the fire escape. Cleo darted after him.
A change of clothes? I flung the covers aside, stumbled out of bed, and rushed to the window to ask why I needed to pack an overnight bag, but Arik was already on the street below.
If I called out, Pop would hear. “Great,” I seethed.
I packed a bag and tiptoed to the bathroom, listening to hear if my uninvited guest woke Pop. The apartment was still, so I took a quick shower, wrapped a towel around myself, and darted for my room.
“What’s going on?” Pop asked as I was shutting the door. He held his favorite mug his aunt had sent him from Ireland with some saint on it. Fresh ground coffee beans scented the apartment and steam rose from the coffee, which told me he hadn’t been up long, so he probably hadn’t heard Arik in my room.
“Nothing,” I answered through the crack. “I’m just late, as usual.”
“Where are you heading off to this early in the morning?”
“I’m going to the library with Afton. We’re finishing our summer essays.” I hated lying to Pop after the whopper I’d told him about how my leg got hurt. I couldn’t forget the worry in his eyes when he’d arrived at the hospital as the paramedics unloaded me from the ambulance. I never wanted to do that to him again.
I tightened my lips to stop my tic. Guilt sickened my stomach. Pop didn’t deserve my dishonesty. It hadn’t been easy raising a bratty me in those early years. I won the stepfather lottery when my mother married him. Some of my school friends’ fathers weren’t as concerned about their kids as Pop was about me. And I was a shit for lying to him.
“The library, again? Don’t you think you should rest your leg?”
“It feels fine. I’ve been using Nana’s ointment on it.” I stuck my injured leg through the door.
Pop bent and examined it. He was a paramedic, so every time I got hurt it was