Danny and Lexi were walking down the street, weaving through the vendors and the crowds. Danny was in the middle of a rant, his hands waving wildly as he spoke.
"I swear, my sister still thinks the Earth is flat. Like, genuinely believes it. I go completely mad when she starts on about it. But over the years, I've learned it's not worth the argument. I can never change her mind. Stubborn as a mule, she is."
Lexi laughed, bumping her shoulder against his. "I don't blame her. Did you see your face just now? It was cute. I can imagine what you must look like during those arguments."
Danny felt a blush creep up his neck. This gorgeous girl thought he was cute. Somehow, the idea made something flutter in his chest.
"She must love seeing that face," Lexi added, grinning.
Danny smiled. She wasn't wrong. Every time he and Jenna argued, especially when he was getting riled up, she wouldn't take it seriously. She'd just sit there, making him look like a fool. Those were the moments he'd come closest to throttling her.
He and Jenna had been on their own for as long as he could remember. Back in Croydon, he'd usually be at home while Jenna was out doing God knows what.
He'd be in his room, headphones on, music blasting as he drew in his sketchbook. It was his escape, his therapy.
He remembered the night Jenna came home, and he didn't even notice her until she was right in front of him. The sight of her knees made him jump.
Their parents had always said his music was too loud. What did they know? How was he supposed to drown out the world if he could still hear it?
But none of that mattered when he saw Jenna's face. Tears, snot, red eyes, hair sticking to her damp cheeks.
He didn't move at first. They'd been here before. Boyfriend troubles, most like. He was used to it by now. He'd called her a whore himself more than once.
But something about this time felt different. He could feel it in the way his heart clenched, the way his pulse sped up. He didn't even know what was wrong yet.
Before he knew it, he was up and at her side.
"What's happened?" He'd asked, looking at her.
Jenna met his gaze, her lips trembling.
Her first words were enough to make the room spin. It was almost like he'd expected it, like he knew what she was going to say before she said it. But hearing it...
She'd only gotten out "Mum" before everything else became a blur. Danny didn't hear the rest.
Yeah. That's what happened. They'd lost their parents in a car crash.
And now it was just them. Him and Jenna. He'd stayed in Croydon, in their parents' house, all through secondary. Jenna had gone off to uni, dropped out. She had a flat near campus. She'd come back to Croydon to get him.
Over the years, all sorts had come knocking, trying to get the house. But he and Jenna had stood firm. That might have included a few threats, a few house calls of their own.
Lexi wasn't wrong. Jenna knew just how to wind him up, how to push his buttons.
They turned into an alley, lit but still dingy, bins overflowing with rubbish.
Lexi pointed to the wall at the far end. "There. That should do."
Danny grinned. "Let's get to it, then."
He shrugged off his backpack, unzipping it as they reached the wall.
Lexi glanced at him. "Whatever we do, we'll have to be quick. And it has to be good. Police patrol here."
Danny's brow furrowed, a smirk playing on his lips. "Did you bring us here on purpose?"
Lexi said nothing, but her smile was answer enough. Christ, this girl was going to be the death of him.
Danny pulled out the spray paint cans they'd bought, handing one to Lexi. "Right. Let's go."
They set to work, starting at opposite ends. The plan was to meet in the middle, to make something together.
They moved quickly, swapping colors, laughing as they dodged each other's lines. At one point, Lexi got Danny square in the chest with a shot of blue. He retaliated with a stripe of green down her back. No way those stains were coming out.
When they finally stepped back, they were both breathing hard, flecks of paint in their hair and on their skin. The wall was a riot of color, a chaotic swirl that shouldn't have made sense but somehow did.
Lexi tilted her head, squinting. "Maybe if we..."
But Danny cut her off. "Nah. It's perfect."
And it was. Not in any way that made sense, not in any way anyone else would understand. But to them, in that moment, it was everything.
Lexi grabbed two more cans, adding a final flourish that brought it all together.
She turned to Danny, her eyes bright. "Proper soul alignment," she said.
Danny couldn't look away. The way the light hit her skin, the way her lips parted. He was moving before he could think, his hands coming up to cup her face.
And then they were kissing, the world narrowing to the press of their bodies, the mingling of their breaths.
Danny's hands found Lexi's waist, pulling her flush against him. She was all soft curves and warm skin, her scent filling his head.
God, he wanted to run away with her. Wanted to lose himself in her and never look back.
But the universe had other ideas. His phone rang, shattering the moment.
Lexi pulled back breathless, her cheeks flushed, her eyes dark with lust.
She looked at him, her gaze heavy with promise. With regret, he mouthed "sorry" and reached for his phone.
He answered without looking, already cursing whoever was on the other end. "Yeah?"
"Is this Danny Wallace?" The voice was crisp, official.
"Yeah, that's me. Who's this?"
"I'm calling from the hospital. Your sister, Jenna Wallace, has been admitted. There's been an accident."
Danny felt the world bottom out. Felt that same high-pitched ringing that had filled his ears when Jenna told him about their parents.
He could see Lexi's mouth moving, could feel her hands on his arms. But he couldn't hear her, couldn't feel her.
Jenna. His big sister. The only family he had left. He couldn't lose her. He couldn't.
Lexi's voice finally broke through, urgent and scared. "Danny? Danny, what's happened?"
He shook his head, already moving, already reaching for his bag. "It's Jenna. She's been in an accident. I have to go."
He was running before she could respond, his heart in his throat, a prayer on his lips.
Please, God. Please let her be okay. She had to be okay. She had to.
***