“I wasn’t—”

“It’s okay,” he says, his words overlapping mine. The air is fraught between us, and this feels awkward and wrong. Like we’re two people who barely know each other. Or two people who know each other so well, they both silently acknowledge how much they want to say to each other, but can’t.

But why can’t we? Because of my kiss with Ollie? I feel hot tears springing up in my eyes, and I brush them away. But I’m not embarrassed or ashamed.

“Looks like you kept it up, on the island,” I say, referring to his martial arts.

“Practiced every day.” Levi shrugs. “It’s not like I had much else to do, besides study.”

I take a step toward him, bridging the distance between us by a few inches. He’s close enough now that I could reach out my hand and touch his cheek if I wanted to. It’s all I can do not to close the gap between his body and mine, pulling him into my orbit. It would only take a second.

“I know you said you didn’t come back here for me,” I breathe.

“Emma—”

“Actually, it’s Eden,” I say so quietly, I don’t know if he can hear me. “Not Emma.”

His gray eyes glow in the moonlight. “What do you mean, you’re not Emma?”

“Gravelle called me today. An hour ago.”

Levi stares at me, and something like comprehension dawns on his face, but I can’t be sure if he’s following what I’m saying or not. I forge ahead. I have to do this, have to say this now. I’ve waited so long. Too long.

“He called me to explain who I really am. Which I already knew, but—” I stop myself. Those details don’t matter right now, the how and the why. I have to get this out before I crack. “My real name isn’t Emmaline Chance. It’s Eden Gravelle. Levi, I’m a clone. A Similar. I’m one of you.”

Past and Future