I wish I could stay longer, but eventually my mom texts me that it’s time to come home and pack. I try not to cry as Jayse walks me across the field to my house, but a few tears escape. I can’t help thinking about all the times we’ve walked across this field to meet up and hang out or to sneak out to some club in the middle of the night. Now we may never get to do it again. While I want to believe that things won’t change, that eventually I’ll return home and life will go back to normal, I know it won’t. Even before I got my Guardian mark, Jayse and I spent less time in the field. “Are you sure you can’t stay longer?” I ask. “I’m sorry. I wish I could, but I …” He presses his lips together, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “You’re doing something for the Keepers today, aren’t you?” I make a guess based on how guilty he looks. “You don’t need to coddle me. You’ve been a Keeper for almost a year and have never held stuff back.” “But I feel like such an asshole for even mentioning.”
