I don’t leave Maisie’s side once. I don’t care what Tommy will say, all I care about is Maisie. And I’m afraid that if I let her out of my sight it will be the last time I ever see her.

I lean against the wall, my arm around Maisie’s shoulders as she sleeps, her cheeks still wet. My shirt is still tightly secure around her arm, I haven’t checked yet but I’m hoping that the bleeding has stopped.

Maisie groans in her sleep, making me look down to see if she’s okay. I pull her closer, careful not to wake her up. Maisie moves closer to me, her cheek resting gently on my bare shoulder.

I look over at the clock that’s ticking softly across the room. It’s a couple minutes past midnight, and I can barely keep my eyes open.

“Come on,” I mumble to myself, taking in a long breath of air. “Stay up.”

The longer I keep my eyes open the more they beg me to let them shut. I shake my head, as my eyes roll back.

I haven’t been this tired in a long time. Every minute that passes feels like hours.

Stay awake, if you don’t Maisie could wake up. She could finish what she started.

My eyes fly to the shining knife that’s laying peacefully in the center of the room. I’d forgotten all about it, now I really have to stay awake. Maisie could easily slide out of my arms and grab it.

I can’t keep fighting, my eyes shut and before I know it I’m sleeping.

I know because I see the same nightmare that’s been haunting me for the past five months. Screaming, crashing, the sound of metal against metal. But something is different I can hear a voice.

“Save me,” it whispers. “Davian save me.”

The voice echos, as I stir awake. There’s a small yellow glow breaking through the blinds, for a minute I’m not sure where I am.

Maisie, I sit up so fast that I’m dizzy as I gaze around the room. Relief floods through me as I see Maisie sitting on the end of her bed. I guess when I feel asleep she let me take the whole bed.

“You good?” I ask, scanning her face.

Maisie nods slowly, as she plays with ther corner of a blanket. “I’m fine.”

I’m not conviced, I don’t think I’ll ever be conviced. “What happened?”

Maisie’s eyes flick to mine. “Everything.”

Everything. It’s vague and at the same time it explains everything. The crash, losing her mom, living in her house but with her aunt and not the one person she needs.

I sigh as I shift across the bed over to Maisie’s side. “Can I ask you something?”

Maisie nods again. “Yeah.”

I lick my lips, trying to find the right words. “Can I kiss you?”

Whoa. That was not the way I wanted those words to come out. I mean of course I want to comfort Maisie, but a kiss. What the heck am I thinking?

Maisie twists her neck to stare into my eyes. “What?”

Wow, her eyes are blue. So blue, so perfect. So . . . Maisie.

My heart beats fast as I keep my eyes glued to hers. “Can I kiss you?”

Maisie doesn’t seem confused or surprised. She just looks like Maisie, perfect and so beautiful.

Before I can take back my words, Maisie grabs my face in between her hands and presses her lips on mine.

I feel a rush of emotions. Happiness, excitment, and something kind of like . . . Chocolate. Love.

I shut my eyes, wrapping my arms around Maisie’s back as she slides hers down to my neck.

We break apart. My heart racing faster than ever. “I guess that’s a yes.” I whisper.

The smallest smile spreads across Maisie’s lips. “I just wanted to be the first one to kiss you before I kiss you again.”

Maisie leans close and we kiss again. Still I feel all the same emotions, this time they’re even stronger.

Part of me feels like this is wrong. Just last night Maisie was heartbroken. And I’m still the guy that killed her mom.