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gave her friend a mischievous smile, then put a hand on Hannah’s shoulder. “Be careful, okay? I know what Josh can be like. One moment he’s letting people in, the next he’s pushing them away. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
    At that moment, Ben walked into the kitchen and girl time was over. They helped Ben cut the pie and pour coffee and tea for the four of them. When they came back outside with the drinks and trays of food, Josh was sitting on the porch steps, gazing into the distance, as if his mind had wandered to a place where he could feel the spirits of the past.

5.
     
     
    When Hannah woke up the next morning, the house was strangely quiet. As she stepped into the kitchen, her gaze drifted to the driveway. Ben’s car was gone, so he was probably visiting Josh in Naabi’aani today. Well, so much the better. She could do with a day of peace and quiet, without having to worry about other people. Especially after yesterday and all the awkwardness with Josh.
    At eleven o’clock, she got into her car and drove away with a backpack full of food and drinks, enough to last her all day. On a sudden whim, she decided to drive to Page. The small town had a library she wanted to visit, although she couldn’t remember where exactly it was situated. The last time she’d borrowed a book there was when she’d been fifteen.
    After parking the car , Hannah strolled to Church Row, a street with tiny shops, restaurants and a lot of old church buildings. A second-hand music store immediately caught her eye. Several crates of vinyl were on display underneath the awning outside.
    Wow, that shade looked really inviting. The heat outside was already scorching, so Hannah thankfully slipped under the canopy and rifled through the crate of records right next to the entrance. She loved vinyl. One of her most prized possessions back home was a turntable.
    Her eyes drifted to the shop window. Inside, there was even more music for sale. She should check out the CD selection next.
    Sudden ly, her breath hitched. A familiar-looking someone was bent over the A-to-C section. It was Josh.
    He looked up, as if he’ d felt the weight of her stare, and Hannah quickly ducked her head again. She didn’t want him to think she was spying on him. Inconspicuously, she glanced up through her eyelashes. Josh was still looking at her, standing in the back of the store, without waving at her or making any move to attract her attention. Hannah couldn’t see whether Ben was also there, but he couldn’t be far. Josh and Ben had planned to spend the day together, after all.
    Why was Josh staring at her like this? Why didn’t he come outside and say hi? Hannah swallowed and wiped the sweat off her forehead. She felt strange. Grabbing the crate of records, she tried to keep her balance. A buzzing sound filled her head and she felt dizzier by the minute.
    And a ll of a sudden, she knew that this had happened before, having the strongest, strangest sense of déjà vu ever. It was like she’d felt this a long time ago. This feeling of longing for Josh, and at the same time, this total sense of separation from him. A sharp, stabbing pain in her heart because all he did was observe her, unwilling to move, unable to reach out and touch her.
    What was happening to her? Staggering backwards, she fumbled in her bag to find a bottle of water. Maybe the heat outside was becoming too much for her. She couldn’t shake the absurd feeling that Josh was somehow pushing her away.
    Well, she wouldn’t be the one to break the spell by walking into the store and saying hello. If he didn’t want to talk to her, fine. That was his choice.
    Still feeling slightly dazed, Hannah turned around and took several deep breaths, her vision becoming clear again. It was time to stick to her original plan and visit the library. The building would be air-conditioned, so she could cool down and get herself together.
    She grabbed her backpack and hurr ied to the street corner