The Lies we Steal (The Hollow Boys Book 1)

My greatest kept secret.

My worst mistake.

The girl that once burned my sad memories, only to become the gasoline that fueled them.

Tomorrow the birds will sing, Sage.

I repeated the words her voice said the last time we spoke.

And I will set every last one of them on fucking fire.

Miss Americana had demons. Skeletons. Things she’d die if anyone found out about.

Strawberry blonde hair hangs in a blunt shoulder length cut, brushing the tops of her shoulders as she walks in holding books close to her chest. Walking with practiced grace and femineity that I would kill for. It’s not her beauty that has piqued my interest, it’s the way everyone in the class gasps and stares.

Everyone seems to be frozen, staring at this poor girl who doesn’t know what to do but stare back. It’s like they’ve seen a ghost.

“Who is that?” I ask Lyra in a whisper.

I hear the clock on the wall tick.

One.

Two.

Three.

“Sage Donahue.”

“How about you don’t do that. Alistair will be up our asses with depression if you die.” I lift my head just an inch to see Rook sliding into the row with us, sporting a black eye and busted lip.

We are all thieves.

Art on Art.

And that’s what I wanted, for her to never stop thinking of me.

To never stop being mine.

Because I would never stop being hers.

I nod, “Something like that. I really just want to give people art that’s there forever. Tattoos are the ultimate commitment to art and I like the weight of that.”

I didn’t expect anything less from him. It was the one thing about Alistair that didn’t change from the moment I met him, he never apologized for who he was. You either took him as is or you hated him for it.

“Wild first semester, huh?” I say, as I drop down into the chair, sliding the extra cup towards her.

“Passed my exams, witnessed murder, committed arson. I’d say it’s one for the books.” She looks up, thanking me for the coffee.

“It’s yours. Every warped part of me. It’s yours, Little Thief. I hope you like playing in the shadows, we will be staying here for a while.”