Chapter 35 " You didn't have to do this , " I said quietly . " I wanted to . I know you act like you don't care . But we see you , Liora . We all do . " The lump in my throat didn't make it all the way up . I swallowed it down , hard . " Happy whatever - this - is , " she added , grabbing the cracked candle with both hands and lighting it with a sputtering match . " Make a wish . " " Don't believe in wishes . " " Too bad . You're getting one anyway . " I stared at the flame . The way it danced , fragile and flickering , against the growing dusk . Then I closed my eyes . I wish I could stay... just a bit longer . I blew out the candle . We ate the cake in silence for a while . It was awful . Dense and sweet and vaguely rubbery . I told her it was perfect . She beamed . After that , we kicked off our shoes and curled up on the small couch beneath the window . Mia insisted on watching a horror movie , even though we both knew she'd be screaming ten minutes in . She was weird like that . Sweet and jumpy but obsessed with ghosts , monsters , and slasher films like the ones in her books . I never understood it . The screen glowed in the dark room , flickering over her face as she curled her legs beneath her . Half an hour in , she shrieked and buried her head in my shoulder . I didn't move . Outside , the wind picked up . The air was turning cold again , sharp with the scent of burning leaves and rain . The kind of cold that whispered : summer's over . Mia peeked up at me during a quiet scene . " Hey . " " Hmm ? " " You think they'll hate you more when the scores come out ? " I laughed once . " Oh , definitely . " Chapter 35 +15 BONUS She nodded seriously . " Good . Means it worked . " I couldn't stop the small wave of guilt that nipped at me . Was this ... selfish ? Maybe I did deserve to be sent home . Maybe I'd earned it . " Mia , " I said quietly , pulling the blanket tighter around me . " Yeah ? " she replied , tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth . She grabbed the remote and turned the volume down a few notches without even glancing away from the screen . I hesitated , then said , " I know that ... you know I'm keeping something from you . " She didn't look surprised . Just nodded once . " And I appreciate that you don't push . You never ask for more than I can give . " Another nod , this one a little faster , more nervous maybe . " But ... if you ever found out what it was - would you hate me for it ? Or at least ... would you forgive me ? " She paused . I could see her chewing slowly , as if buying time . I didn't blame her . What I was asking wasn't fair , not without context . The rain pattered softly against the windows , filling the silence . Finally , she sat up a little straighter and looked at me . " I don't know , " she said honestly . " I mean , I don't know what the secret is . But what I do know is that you're not a bad person , Liora . You pretend to be cold , but you've got this whole soft , kind thing going on underneath . It's cute ! " I snorted and tossed a pillow at her . She caught it with a grin . " I'm just saying , whatever it is ... I can't imagine it being something unforgivable . You've helped me , other kids like us . You gave us someone to look up to . Unless your big secret is , like , you murdered a puppy . Then yeah , I might reconsider . " I gave her a half - smile . " I'm not a monster . " and She pointed at the screen where the monster on - screen was currently climbing out of a sewer drain . " Could've fooled me . You'd make a terrifying villain . " We laughed again , genuine , light . The kind of laugh that made things feel okay , even if they weren't . " I sank back into the couch , letting the sound of the rain and static from the movie drown out the noise in my head . What was coming ... it was out of my hands now . Might as well enjoy what time I had left . Chapter 36 +15 BONUS