Chapter 40

• Aria.
• The field was starting to clear out. The cheers and laughter from earlier had faded into soft chatter and the occasional squeak of wheels as the cleanup crew pushed the benches back into place. Kai had just finished saying goodbye to the last of the kids, giving a high five to one of the smaller boys and ruffling Mina’s hair. She beamed up at him but didn’t even glance in my direction as she clung to her mother’s hand and walked off.
• I found it weirdly cute. The way she was already defensive of him, like she needed to protect him from me. I kind of respected it. If Kai was really her hero, I could understand how she wanted everyone to see him as the same.