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area.
    “All day you’ve been watching and
waiting for that girl. Maybe you like her a lot more than you let
on.” Jason didn’t take his eyes off my face. I didn’t look at him.
If I’d been able to blush I would have. Nothing could have
embarrassed me more than the weakness of personal affection, not
after the things I’d done and seen.
    “What’s it to you?” I ran my fingers
through my hair, brushing it out of my face. I tried to look
stern.
    “I just like to give you a hard time,”
he said, smiling.
    “Yeah, you and Chris both.”
    He stood up straight and stared out the
window. I dug through some CDs, searching for a Marilyn Manson
album.
    “Hey look your girlfriend is here,”
Jason said.
    I looked up just in time to see the
front door open. The bell rang. It was her.
    I tried to act smooth and composed, but
my heart was beating too fast. I controlled my breathing, and felt
Jason’s stare. As I put a CD on the tray my hands started shaking.
I pressed “play.” Finally I had the courage to look up at
her.
    Her dress and demeanor were the same as
they had been, but the red in her aura burned bright today. Maybe
she was close to knowing. Her aura extended at least a foot all
around her. She kept her head down and her eyes to the floor. She
walked to the counter, stopped, and shoved her hands into her
sweatshirt pockets.
    “Um, hi. I…uh…was in here a couple of
days ago…um” Her eyes flickered upward and she was looking at me.
She glanced toward Jason, then down again.
    “Yes,” I said, “I remember you. You
came back for the books.” I tried not to sound bitter, hopeful, or
eager. All I wanted was to keep my voice even, and to ignore
Jason’s perpetual smirk. I knew it was there without even
looking.
    The girl blushed deep red. Her aura
looked solid enough to touch. What was wrong with me? I’d never
felt this way toward anyone. I had to know what this girl was
before it drove me insane. My chest felt tight, and my stomach
seemed to be sinking.
    “They’re back there,” I said. “I can
show you if you’d like.”
    She looked up at me, nodded, then
nervously glanced about. I led her through the crowded aisles to
the area in back where the born knowing met. We had the books on
one side of us, and the herbs, incense, and witchcraft
paraphernalia on the other. The smell of the herbs was
overpowering. I took her to the shelf.
    “Right here. This is where we stock new
arrivals. We have two new ones about reincarnation and old souls.
That is what you are interested in right?” I looked at her as her
eyes skimmed across the titles. From this angle I could admire her
profile. She had an elegant look. Her thin nose was the perfect
complement to her slender features. Her lips were full but not
overdone. She wore no makeup.
    “Thanks.” As she reached for one of the
books on the top shelf, I noticed the tattoos. It seemed odd that
such a shy girl would have any tattoos. After all, they
    draw attention, and the rest of her
look and manner seemed calculated to keep her anonymous. But there
it was: letters tattooed on her knuckles. She was leafing through a
book, so I couldn’t quite catch what the tattoos said.
    She was shaky, and a sheen of sweat
covered her forehead. Was I making her nervous? Should I walk away?
I couldn’t bring myself to leave her. I just kept staring. She
must’ve been wondering exactly what kind of freak I was. My chest
tightened. I had to say something.
    “Uh, you know, a group meets here on
the weekends to discuss the things you’re reading about. I’m sure
they would be glad to have you. Actually…uh…I go to all the
meetings. I live in back of the store.” I pointed to the door that
led to our apartment. Why was I telling her that? I felt so
awkward.
    “Ok.” She blushed again and looked at
the floor. Her book was still open.
    “I’m sorry.” I extended my right hand.
“My name is Verloren Fagan. My friends and I own the
store.”
    She extended her