The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 13

The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 13

Winter break. Freshman year. A rare cold rain fell across California.

I finished the last data set for my advisor and stepped out of the lab building in my windbreaker.

The wind howled. Rain cut like a knife.

Under the streetlight outside the lab, I saw someone I didn’t expect.

Leo.

He was wearing a coat meant for Midwestern winters. Useless against the California chill.

He was shivering uncontrollably. Hair plastered to his head with rain. Lips blue from the cold.

The moment he saw me, his eyes flared. He stumbled toward me.

“Winter!”

میرا

His voice was wrecked. Thick with congestion. A bad cold.

He stopped in front of me. With numb fingers, he pulled a thermal bag from inside his coat. Held it out.

“I finally found you.” A wrecked smile.

“Your favorite donuts. I kept them warm the whole flight. The bus too. They might still be a little warm. Want

one?”

I stopped walking. Looked at him through the cold rain.

Half a year ago. If he had crossed three thousand miles for me.

Even with nothing but a cold bagel, I would have been undone.

Now. Looking at that thermal bag. There was only a wasteland inside me.

“Leo. You’re pathetic.”

I didn’t take it. My voice was colder than the wind.

Leo’s hand froze in midair. Panic and pain surged into his eyes

“Winter, I know you’re still mad. I swear. I’ll never deal with Tally again.”

“Tally called me at college. Crying. Said she had no one to eat with. No one to save her a seat. Before, I would

have gone.”

But this time, watching her cry, all I could see was you. Blood on your forehead. Locked in your room alone.”