F

IFTEEN-YEAR-OLD Ari Lion stared at

her hands, wondering how could there be so much dirt under such short nails and a sharp snap! sent her gaze flickering to the side, where the woods met her backyard. A pair of differently colored eyes met hers, the green one bright while the brown one darkened briefly before brightening as well to a coffee-and-cream brown. Oh, it was her regular visitor. The boy who always watched her while she worked in her grandmas garden. Carefully, tilting the marred half of her face away from the boy, she stood and dusted off her older brothers jeans, stained with dirt and grass and mud from the lawn, and said, in her husky, raspy voice, I made some cookies. Ill be right back. With a last longing glance at the boy, she disappeared into the house and took out the plate of cookies shed baked before gardening and a tall, cool glass of milk, bringing it to

the edge of the yard and sitting down so her good side faced the boy. Here, eat, I already had a few, she said with a shy smile. The boys eyes darted from her, to the plate and glass, and back a few times before he hesitantly sat down and ate one. His eyes closed as he moaned softly. She beamed. I take it you like them, she giggled, hiding the left half of her face behind her hands. The wind suddenly came and blew her hat off. She jumped up, not realizing she was facing him, and ran to catch it. Her tiny fingers closed around and she averted face but felt the angry tears burn before she even glimpsed the boys dirty face. He was no older than she and was sure to gawk. Instead, he continued eating quietly, and after a sip of milk, he spoke to her for the first time in the few years shed been living with her grandmother since her father died. May I show you something? he asked. Ari jerked, her blue eyes wide as they met his serious ones. Su-sure she stuttered, cursing herself inwardly as he silently rolled

up his sleeves and thrust it out under her nose. You she trailed off, staring at the burn marks circling his forearm, quite a few of them looked relatively new, puckered and glistening under the sun. He reached out and ran his fingers over the left side of her face, ever since she was three, there was a series of jagged burns long her face, the skin pinched and red, grazing the corner of her eye and sopping at the dip of her top lip and chin. On the right side was clear russet skin, bright deep-set blue eyes framed by dark thick eyelashes, a pair of plump pink bowed lips and a thin black eyebrow. Marina? screamed her grandmother, a burly woman in her early forties with bright beach blonde hair and bright brown eyes and freckled skin. He-here! she yelled back, watching the boy rub his ears. Sorry, shes hard of hearing. Marina? Is that your name? Aris gaze dropped. No, it was my mothers.

She thinks Im my mother, Oh. Oh is right, she thought worriedly. Megan rounded the corner and smiled easily at the ragged-looking boy. Sweetheart, you didnt tell me you had a boyfriend! she practically yelled. Ari rose to her feet, adjusting her glasses as they eased down the bridge of her nose. I-II do, I guess, Theres nothing to guess, my chickadee, cooed Megan as she jogged across the yard. For forty, she couldve passed for thirty, Ari mused as Megan swooped the poor boy into a hug. Grams! hissed Ari as she pulled the boy from her grandmothers iron grip. Okay, okay, Ill leave you two to explore while I go out. Love you, She pecked Ari on her burned face and waddled away. Love you too, Grams, she murmured sadly. So, She turned to the boy with an upset look. I guess well have to be boyfriend and girlfriend now, she mumbled. The boys expression turned to horror. What? No

way! he yelled in his low voice, the rumble nearly engulfing the words as he stumbled away. Well, my grandma tends to bea blabbermouth, With a suppressed groan, she fisted her hair and sighed instead, rolling her eyes. How old are you? Sixteen, Youre so lucky I have my older brothers clothes here, Where is he? Hedied with my father a couple of years ago, Im sorry. She faked a smile. Dont worry bout it, you didnt know. The boy gave her dark look, obviously pissed. Dont try to act all cheerful when youre upset with me. I got enough of that at home before I hightailed it. He ran away? But hes so young! And cute, the darker part of her brain pointed out and images assaulted her, most of them involving a bed and a wine glass in his hand. She close her eyes, shuddered, and continued

on, leading him into the house by the hand. Lets get you cleaned up.