"Semantics," I say, trying to sound officious and practical. It doesn't quite work when I know my cheeks are going warm and I can't stop smiling. My heart squeezes but it's not in an uncomfortable way. It's exciting and strange, like jumping through the hole and falling into that net.

Exhilarating.

What Blue says makes sense. There had always been other things going on, other people, but through all of them Blue has been a solid presence. We've called on one another for just about everything this city has thrown at us and it's like looking through a window that was smudged and is now clean. The stuff on the other side was always there, but now I can see it.

"I'm glad you kissed me. I think you should kiss me again too."