It was so late at night that Jane could swear the sun was peeking up from the horizon, lighting the sky in royal purple. What few clouds still remained obscured any stars that were visible in the early morning sky.

Around them, the sounds of Alexander township’s not-quite-awake-yet populace were beginning to churn.

Ryder’s hand engulfed hers, a thin bit of cloth wrapped around his palm in place of a bandage. The scuffle with Beatrice had not left him unhurt.

“How did you even find us?” Jane asked. She was weary, and her shoulders slumped as if under a great weight, even though Ryder had chosen to carry both her bags.

“I had a feeling. When you asked for Beatrice’s address, I knew that there was only one way things would have gone.” Ryder sounded grim. It was obvious he wished things had gone a different way.

“You saved us again,” Jane said. “That’s twice now.”

Ryder’s pace slowed as he turned his head towards her. Their eyes met. “Honestly… this time, I did it for myself.”

Jane raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue.

“There’s no going back now. It’s just a matter of time until my father knows that I’ve been undermining him.”

Jane squeezed his hand. In a way, this was her fault. She’d wronged him so many times now. “I’m sorry Ryder. For everything.”

He squeezed her hand tighter, his only reply.

They were nearing the town square, and the chill of the night was dissipating. Jane smoothed her hair back, exposing her pale neck to the quickly warming air.

The same towering spire was visible over the nearby rooftops, bisecting the golden rays of the sun. Ryder was regarding it with an inscrutable expression.

“What are you gonna do?” Jane asked.

Ryder remained silent, same look adorning his face, as they crossed the same archway from their first date. To them, it felt like ages ago, even though it had only been a week.

“… I’m probably homeless now,” Ryder said. He sounded almost amused, in a detached way.

Jane creased her eyebrows in concern. “You don’t have anywhere to stay?”

They were still standing beneath the arch, looking into the empty courtyard. The rising sun was in full bloom now, illuminating the long-since eroded plaque on the spire. The bricks sparkled with morning dew.

Without a word, Ryder entered the courtyard, Jane’s hand still firmly held in his. She hastened her steps to keep up, arm stretched out before her.

With a sigh, he set their bags beneath a bench, and took a seat.

And then he started laughing.

It was a roaring, full-belly laugh that disturbed the pigeons as they wandered aimlessly through the courtyard. Tears streamed from his eyes as he howled, head thrown back in abandon. Jane stared at him, concern growing by the second.

“Ryder?” she asked, tentatively.

“God. If my mom could see my life now,” Ryder said, wiping tears of laughter from his cheeks.

Jane lowered herself onto the bench, her hip pressing comfortably against his. She wasn’t sure what to say to that.

What would her dad say, if he could see her now?

He turned to her, fit of laughter passing somewhat. “I’m guessing you know about how my dad asked me to spy on you by asking you out.”

Jane paused, then nodded. She’d been meaning to bring it up, but hadn’t found the right moment. It seemed Ryder had gotten to the subject first, like he always did.

“I should’ve told you sooner,” he admitted.

“Why didn’t you?” Jane didn’t mean to sound like she was accusing him of something, but her voice betrayed her. Perhaps she was still hurt, even if he had more than proven that she could trust him.

“I didn’t want to ruin… this.” He raised his hand, Jane’s fingers still interlocked with his.

Jane’s heart sped up as she became all the more aware of the contact between them. His warm hip against hers, her palm in his, and his eyes upon her own. That same butterfly feeling rose within her, but somehow different. More comfortable. Familiar, even.

“You could’ve told me. It wouldn’t have changed the way I see you,” she said.

He raised his eyebrows, a bemused smirk on his face. “Really?”

“… okay, not really.”

He chuckled. “How about we make a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” Jane asked.

“I already said I’d tell you everything, and I have, even if you’ve already hacked all my secrets. We need to trust each other.”

Jane regarded him seriously. “That’s asking a lot. What if like, you’re a serial killer or something?”

“I’m not a serial killer, I promise,” he said, with mocking earnestness.

She sighed.

“I did save you twice already,” he joked, though it fell on sober ears.

Jane’s anxiety had never allowed her to fully trust anyone, let alone a boy she had only really met a few weeks ago. She couldn’t promise him that she wouldn’t be suspicious of him. She didn’t want to lie to him.

“You’re right, you did. Thank you,” she said.

He was looking at her expectantly, but his gaze fell to the pavement as the silence dragged on. It was clear Jane wouldn’t promise him her absolute trust.

“Ryder, I’ve never done this before.”

“This?” he glanced around them, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Like, been with a boy. It’s all new to me. I can’t just-”

He raised his hand, the one not holding Jane’s. “Hey, hey. It’s okay. I get it. I was asking for too much. My mistake.”

This, in turn, made Jane herself feel bad, as if she were betraying Ryder somehow. Her boundaries, reinforced by years of loneliness and self isolation, were a crutch, even as they crippled her.

“Ryder…” She trailed off, her eyes drawn towards a pair of men standing at the other end of the courtyard. Their clothes were dark, and she was immediately reminded of Watson, though these men held none of the familiarity that he had. In her exhausted brain, they were the very picture of menacing criminals sent by Ryder’s father.

Ryder followed her gaze, catching sight of them. It seemed he shared her sentiment, though with far less anxiety. “Maybe we should get going.”

Jane nodded, wordlessly. Her nerves felt frayed, burnt out. She couldn’t handle any more excitement today.

Ryder stood and scooped up the bags, before striding towards the archway. Jane followed close behind, never taking her eyes off the men. Her breath came quick and shallow.

With a forceful exhalation of breath, they passed beneath the archway. They glanced back with relief. The men hadn’t followed them. It had been a false alarm.

“It’s gonna be like this until we deal with my dad. Always running, looking over our shoulders, always wondering if he knows. We’ll never be truly free.” Ryder’s voice was strangled by repressed frustration. He didn’t like this any more than Jane did.

“We can’t think like that, Ryder. We need to do this one step at a time.”

He smoothed his hair back, Jane’s laptop bag swinging from his shoulder. “Right. One day at a time… gotta get my things from my dad then. And my car. I’ll need somewhere to sleep.”

“Do you need me to come with you?” she asked.

He looked down at her incredulously. “Are you really asking to come with me to my criminal father’s fortress of evil?”

Jane faltered a bit. “Well, I mean-”

“No, Jane, it’s alright. I don’t want them to connect you and me. If we’re caught, it’ll make my father hurt you all the worse. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

A woman brushed between them, momentarily interrupting their eye contact.

“I don’t want you to get hurt either,” said Jane.

“I’ll make it quick. In and out, I promise,” he replied.

“So what happens after you get your stuff? What then?” Jane asked.

Ryder was silent again, eyes distant as they weaved through the stream of people. They were nearly out of the town proper, the shops and apartment buildings giving way to open space.

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far,” he said.

Jane realized she hadn’t either. The past few days had been such a mess of intrigue and danger, she hadn’t allowed herself to even imagine what may come after.

All she knew as that she wanted Ryder to be there with her.

Walking from Beatrice’s run down home to Jane’s street had been no mean feat, especially after the tumultuous night they had gone through. Jane had unzipped her hoodie, allowing the wind to dry her sweating chest. She glanced enviously at Ryder, who hadn’t seemed to notice the physical exertion. Indeed, he had been silent most of the walk, deep in his own thoughts.

“You think Vicky made it home alright?” Jane asked.

It took Ryder a second to reply. “Yeah. She called her dad, or something.”

“I’ve never actually met her parents. I wonder what they’re like.” Jane’s home came into view as they rounded the street corner. To her relief, there were no dark vehicles parked near it, filled with armed goons. It seemed Jackson wasn’t quite on to them yet.

“Me neither. I don’t think anyone at Alexander high has,” said Ryder.

They stopped, Jane’s overgrown lawn plants swaying in the mid-day air. The curtains in her bedroom window remained tightly closed, entirely undisturbed.

Ryder was looking down at her, one arm outstretched, bag in hand. Jane took it.

“I’ll drive back here, once I get everything packed. Just to be safe,” he said.

“Are you gonna be okay?”

Even if he tried to hide it, Jane could tell. He was dreading returning home, uncertain of his own future. “Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m always worried,” Jane admitted.

The sun was unusually warm, and Jane felt the hood of her jacket sticking to her sweaty neck. Slowly, she placed one hand on Ryder’s chest, and raised her lips to his.

The boy exhaled through his nose, surprised. His hands encircled her waist, pulling her close. Jane could feel his heartbeat against her palm, its steady rhythm speeding up the longer the kiss took place.

And then they broke away, Jane’s hand still on his chest.

“You better come back, superman,” she joked. Her breathing was thready from the intensity of the kiss, and she found that all she wanted was to do it again.

“Oh no, not you too,” Ryder groaned.

Jane giggled. “Yeah, you’re right. I think I like just Ryder better.”

Ryder’s lips shifted to a tiny grin before kissing her once more. “Just Ryder promises he’ll be back soon. My dad’s got nothing on me anymore. It’s gonna be okay.”

She watched him go, his body outlined against the mid-day sun. She dearly hoped he would be able to keep his promise.