Then I Realize From The

Hi," He Says. "i'm Daniel." "hi," I Reply. "i'm June.

I Take A Step Toward Him And Grin Cheerfully. "with All Due Respect, I Don't See The Republic Tacking Up Wanted Posters With Your Pretty Face On Them.

For A Small Moment, I Fix My Eyes On His, Telling Him Silently Everything That I'll Never Say To Him Aloud.

[...] Tess And I Are A Good Match. She Understands Intimately Where I Came From. She Can Cheer Me Up On My Darkest Days. It's As If She Came Perfectly Happy Home Instead Of What Kaede Just Told Me. I Feel A Relaxing Warmth At The Thought, Realizing Suddenly How Much I'm Anticipating Meeting Up With Tess Again. Where She Goes, I Go, And Vice Versa. Peas In A Pod. Then There's June. Even The Thought Of Her Name Makes It Hard For Me To Breathe. I'm Almost Embarrassed By My Reaction. Are June And I A Good Match? No. It's The First Word To Pop Into My Mind. And Yet, Still.

I Always Knew, On Some Level, That I Wouldn't Live Long. It's Simply Not Written In My Stars.