By the time we returned home, night had fallen. The twin lights on our shared stoop drew us from the monorail platform home. At Brin’s door, this time I kissed her first, without even the slightest prompting on her part. While our lips were pressed together, I murmured, “Thank you for trying to keep me safe.”
“I care about you,” she whispered back. Her hand tightened on my wrist. “You’re my Other. I don’t want them taking you away.”
“They won’t,” I assured her.
She kissed me again. “Take your pills. All of them. The questions will eventually go away.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
She gave me a sweet smile. “My mother told me. Good night.”
“Good night.”
I waited until she went inside, then turned toward my door. But I didn’t reach for the knob. I didn’t want to go inside just yet.
I
