“I think I just met the happiest person in the world!” I deadpan, scowling at the man in front of me.

The gentle hum of the radio plays aloud in the bookstore, surrounding us with a rather intimate environment contrasted against the rage of our refudge.

We both want to buy _The Great Gatsby_. There’s only one copy left.

His deep brown eyes peer into mine, challenging me at my own game. “If yo...

Escape.

Escape.

Escape.

_Escape_.

My heart is crawling out of my ribs’ firm grasp, trying its hardest to claw through every form of defense.

Don’t move.

Hold your breath.

Wait for permission.

W a i t

f o r

p e r m i s s i o n

“Please,” I beg, pushing my palms to my chest as if to hold myself together.

But the more I try, the more I fall ...

“Do you think the world pushes people together for a reason?” I ask, my fingertip nervously rubbing against the smooth surface of my acrylic nail, my gaze flicking up to catch his reaction.

Hayden tilts his head against the bed frame, a soft sigh escaping him. “I don’t usually think about things like that,” he admits with a sheepish grin, though I already knew that about him.

Hayden has always...