Free Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin

in school.”
    “Every time I see you, you lecture me,” I complained.
    “That is because I am counting on you, Anya. I think you will agree that I have gone to great lengths for you.”
    “Of course, Yuji.”
    “You are my investment.”
    “I don’t belong to you though.”
    The car was just passing the southeastern edge of the park. Yuji reached into his pocket. He took my hand and pried it open. On my palm, he placed a small wooden lion.
    “Did Leo make this?” I asked quietly.
    “Yes, he has taken up carving.”
    I looked at the lion, my miniature miracle. Leo had touched this. Leo was safe. I smiled at Yuji and tried not to cry. “He’s good at this.”
    I turned to thank him. I was about to kiss him on the cheek when the car passed over a pothole and I ended up kissing him on the mouth. It was not romantic in the least. His teeth knocked against mine. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I was aiming for your cheek. Potholes, you know. This city!”
    Yuji blushed. “I know, Anya.” He turned his dark eyes on me. “You would never try to kiss an old man like me on the lips.”
    “Yuji, you’re not old,” I protested.
    “Compared to you, I am.” He turned to look out the window. “Besides, I have heard that you are secretly with your old boyfriend. The politician’s son.”
    I twisted in the seat. “What? That absolutely isn’t true! Who said that?”
    “Mickey and Sophia suspect it.”
    “They barely know me! They should keep their mouths shut.”
    “You are back at your old school, are you not?” Yuji asked me.
    “Only because nowhere else would have me. Yuji, it is impossible for me to be with Win. And you should know that even the suspicion of that could be disastrous for me.”
    Yuji shrugged. He might have been the most infuriating person I had ever known.
    “Was Sophia Bitter your girlfriend?” I asked.
    Yuji smiled at me. “Is tonight the night for archaeology?”
    “That isn’t an answer.”
    “Mainly she was my school friend,” Yuji said after a rather long pause. “She was my best school friend.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me that when we were at the wedding?” I asked.
    “It wasn’t relevant.”
    “Neither is my personal life then.”
    We traveled up Madison Avenue in silence.
    I closed my hand around the lion, letting its edges and imperfections etch themselves into my flesh. Yuji put his hand around my fist. “So you see. Our lives are interconnected.”
    His hand was ice around mine, but the sensation was not entirely unpleasant.
    The car stopped on East Ninetieth Street, where I lived, and I opened the car door.
    “I am sorry that we argued,” he said. “I … The truth is, I see you as … part of myself. I should not, though.”
    I got out of the car and went upstairs. I went into Natty’s room. She had already fallen asleep, but I woke her up anyway.
    “Natty,” I whispered.
    “What?” she asked drowsily.
    I held out my palm so that she could see the wooden lion.
    “Leo? It’s Leo, isn’t it?” Her eyes were bright and alert.
    I nodded.
    She took the wooden lion and kissed it on its head. “Will we ever see him again?”
    I told her that I hoped so and then I went to bed myself.
    *   *   *
    I had barely slept at all when I awoke to a banging on the apartment door. “Police!”
    The clock read 5:12 a.m. I pulled on my bathrobe and went to the door. I looked through the peephole. Indeed, two uniformed police officers stood there. I opened the door, but left the security chain on. “What do you want?”
    “We’re here for Anya Balanchine,” one of the police officers said.
    “Yes. That’s me.”
    “We need you to open the door, ma’am. We’re here to take you back to Liberty,” the officer continued.
    I ordered myself to stay calm. I could hear Natty and Imogen stirring in the hallway behind me. “Annie, what’s happening?” Natty asked.
    I ignored her. I had to stay focused. “On what grounds?” I asked the officer.
    “Violations of