gray walks anika home

she seems to be fine with it

she's

she's remembering her own love, who had left her earlier in the year

who used to walk her home

who used to keep her pure

she inales the smoke of her cigarette and closes her eyes

she seems to be fine

now she is

anika exhales, smiling at gray

the wisps escaping her feel of gentle, loving touches on her face

it reminds her of him, but she doesn't care

she's fine

"," she says to gray

gray returns an uneasy smile

he's never done anything like this

no smoking

no drinking

no sex

no drugs

but anika is eagerly grinning at him, making him feel as if he were holding her joy in his hands

and this time, he say no