10

All night, I tossed and turned-and this time, it was not because of the springy motel mattress that usually kept me up.

"You said you leave when there's nothing left for you to do. So-what if I gave you a reason to stay?"

Dean's words rang in my head like a broken record. I didn't know how to make it stop. I hadn't even given him a proper response.

"You said you leave when there's nothing left for you to do. So-what if I gave you a reason to stay?"

It felt like there was a lump lodged into my throat. I gnawed on my bottom lip, suddenly feeling very squeamish. Nobody had ever once cared what I did or where I went. Nobody had ever wanted me-wanted me to stay, for them.

"Things are-" I exhaled sharply. "Things are more complicated than that, Dean."

Dean shook his head, as if he were refusing to listen to what I had to say."You haven't stuck in one place since you were twelve. Just give it a chance, Elettra."

I inhaled sharply. My lungs felt like they were throbbing in pain. My entire che