The door of the shop clicked shut behind me, cutting off the cold air from the street. Outside, Malva stood exactly where Leo had left her.
The silver glow of the streetlamp washed over her, casting a long shadow across the clean stone path. For a long time, she did not move. Her right hand stayed in the air, the skin on her head still tingling where my hand had pressed down to mess up her hair.
Think about it.
The words echoed in her mind, heavy and loud.
Malva slowly lowered her hand, her fingers curling into her sleeve, pressing down until her short nails bit into her skin.
Is he an idiot?
The thought came fast and sharp, born from years of surviving in the dirt. It didn't make sense. In her world, people's actions were simple and brutal.
