Free Uncharted (Unexpected Book 3) by Claudia Burgoa Page A

experience some personal transformation or emotion.
    “There are days I feel trapped in an emotionless house,” she clarifies. “I wish to either disappear into another life, or to come up with a way that my parents might change from always focusing on my sister’s illness and ways to make money to an emotional life where they care about…others.”
    The passion her words express and the sadness entwined within them makes me dip to her heart-shaped lips. My mouth doesn’t wait for an approval; it simply takes charge.
    I’ve kissed before—a couple of girls. Nothing too hot; more like pecks. The moment I touch her lips, my mouth parts, and my tongue begs for her to give me entrance. She tastes like sugar, but with a kick of spice. Once we pull apart, I stare into her bright eyes. They remind me of the night sky. A dark background illuminated by a twinkle.
    “You’re an entire song about to be written, a song I’ll play for eternity, Twinkle.” I kiss her again; this time is longer and warmer. “Can you hear the notes? As your soul touches mine, we create sounds that become music as we move. Our melodies will transcend the stars, they’ll remain in what you called the never-ending sky.”
    The shit my parents talked about may be real. That warm feeling inside your heart, when your soul awakens as you meet someone. The right someone. I think this is it. It’s as if I’ve known Pria since the beginning of time. Gabe and Chris hit it off while eating burgers. They became friends. With this girl, it is similar, and the shit I told her when we met at the bookstore is true. We’re destined to be together.
    “That sounds…like a dream that will never happen. We’re not even opposites; we’re two parallel lines that crossed by mistake, but in a couple of days will continue on their own way. Of course, I wouldn’t mind staying with you, or believing that everything you said may be true. But life isn’t so simple. In fact, it sucks. Some days I wish my life was different.”
    I caress her wrist while listening.
    “I fear that when Mae dies, Mom will drift away because she’ll have lost the daughter she’s been fighting for so long.” She closes her eyes, snuggling closer to me, so close I think we’re one person. “It’s frightening to think that they’ll leave me with the guy who stares at any screen and ignores me. College was my way out, and it’s lasted only weeks. It never fails though; after I’m done with these self-pity parties, I regret all these selfish thoughts. Because if they weren’t so invested in my sister, she wouldn’t be with us, and I love Mae. My life won’t have a meaning if she leaves me. I’ll be all alone.”
    With my thumb, I clear some of the tears that run down the side of her face. From time to time I’ve encountered that fear of losing my loved ones. It terrifies me to think what’d happen if I lose my parents, Ainsley or Matthew. Twinkle lives with that agony every day, expecting it could happen any time.
    “From now on, watch the sky—it can be our private place that no one will take away from us.” I raise my hand and paint a line from one star to the other, forming an imaginary heart. “My grandfather lives in the Northeast. In Albany, New York. I love that man. The three of us adore him. We don’t get to see him often. Every time we do, though, the night before we leave his house or he heads back home, he shows us the stars and tells us that no matter where we are, we share the same sky. Even when it’s cloudy and we think nothing is there, he’s always there and he’s thinking of us. So every night, you look at the sky, and remember, I’m thinking of you, Twinkle. Creating music for you, holding you in my arms every night, and taking away the pain. We’re soulmates, remember?”
    She sobs while snorting with laughter. Cute.
    “You’re still crazy, but I like your way with words. I‘ll call my sister and ask her to cover for me.” She lets out a big