Page 142

This is different.

It’s the strange, aching sensation of recognizing a part of yourself in someone you barely know.

I don’t want to understand him. I don’t want to wonder what made him this way or why his voice softened when he spoke about beautiful things that might not exist.

Because Stephen Choi is rude, judgmental, territorial, and apparently incapable of letting anyone enjoy a book without spoiling the ending.

There’s nothing about him I need to think about.

Nothing at all.

He folds his arms, and just like that, the moment breaks.

“You still need to stay out of my wing.”

I lift my chin. “I’m not making any promises.”

His eyes narrow. Mine do the same.

For a moment, we’re right back where we started.

Two stubborn people.

Two terrible attitudes.

Two very different worlds standing in the middle of the same library, neither willing to show the other any weakness.

Except something feels different now.

Maybe it’s the way he looked at me before he turned away or maybe it’s the fact that, I don’t actually want him to leave.

Stephen exhales, a faint smile tugging at his mouth.

“Goodnight, Artemis.”

With that he turns and walks away. I watch him disappear down the hallway, his footsteps growing quieter until the library swallows them completely.

The library feels quieter and dull without him in it.

I hate that I notice.

I hate even more that my gaze drifts back to the empty doorway, as though some foolish part of me expects him to return.

Ridiculous.

I touch the crown pendant at my chest and whisper to the silence.

“Goodnight, Stephen.”

seventeen

. . .

Nightmare Catcher

“”I said what I said. Feel free to recover privately.” — A

I can’t sleep.