Sloth

Harper shuddered. “Nothing’s ever going to be okay.” But her sobs had quieted and she realized she could breathe again. She took a few deep breaths.

“Better?”

“Don’t let go,” she murmured. Not yet. She wasn’t ready.

“Never,” he promised.

The wind rushes past them, and Harper can feel everything fall away until nothing is left but a crisp, clear certainty that life is good, and that she is happy. Kaia turns the music up, and they shout the lyrics into the wind, their voices disappearing in the thunder of the engine.

She presses her foot down on the pedal. Faster, faster, the world speeds by, her life fades into the distance, she can leave it behind if she just goes fast enough and far enough.

“Let’s never go back!” she shouts to Kaia.

“Never!” Kaia agrees, tossing her head back, laughing.

They have everything they need. A fast car. A sunny day. Freedom. Each other.

She has been so miserable, so angry, so afraid, for so long, and now all that has burned away, and there is only one thing left.

Joy.

About the Author

Robin Wasserman enjoys writing about high school-but wakes up every day grateful that she doesn’t have to relive it. She recently abandoned the beaches and boulevards of Los Angeles for the chilly embrace of the East Coast, as all that sun and fun gave her too little to complain about. She now lives and writes in New York City, which she claims to love for its vibrant culture and intellectual life. In reality, she doesn’t make it to museums nearly enough, and actually just loves the city for its pizza, its shopping, and the fact that at 3 a.m. you can always get anything you need-and you can get it delivered.

You can find out more about what she thinks of New York, L.A., books, shopping, pizza, life, the universe, and everything else at www.robinwasserman.com.

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