When they got back to the car lot, the sun was almost setting. A few of Luke’s “roommates” eyed them suspiciously as Luke led them around the lot, looking for a place for them to set up camp. Seeing as neither of them had a tent, the obvious option was to see if one of the broken-down cars could serve as a temporary shelter. They settled on an abandoned white Land Cruiser because it had the most room, all of its doors were still mounted and its windows were intact. The metal on its front end was still crinkled from the accident it had never recovered from. And it was missing both of its front wheels. Still, later that night, when Luke said goodnight and left them to their own devices, climbing onto the gray fabric of its interior felt like luxury.

Aria got into her sleeping bag and lay flat across the back seat. Taylor reclined the front passenger seat as far as it would go over her legs. “I like it here,” he said, watching the other inhabitants of the abandoned car lot go about their business before turning in for the night, and Aria agreed with him. “Luke told me some places I could find a job tomorrow. I think I’m gonna try and get a bus ticket or somethin’ and maybe go see if I can get into that acting program.” She realized that meant she would be alone for the day but Taylor quickly added, “You can come with me if you want to, I just don’t know how much fun it’s gonna be.”

They were both aware that since she was still under 18, she had to lie lower than any of the rest of them, and Aria guessed he didn’t like the risk that her being underage posed to him. It would be safer for her to stay there. “That’s OK,” she reassured him. “I can stay here tomorrow. Maybe Luke can show me around some more.”

She wasn’t really excited to spend more time with Luke, especially one-on-one, but the idea of not walking anywhere for a day was enticing. She wanted Taylor to go chase his dreams, no matter how unrealistic they were. Watching his zeal for the future, which once had been so irritating to her, now felt like watching a flower grow among the weeds. His fervor for life was a scarce form of beauty that life on the streets tried to strip from him every day. And Aria wanted him to keep it. She wished that she could have some of it herself.