One Day Soon Read Online Free PDF

disappeared into the trees.
    I all but sagged in relief. “Thank y—”
    “You need to get the hell out of here,” Yoss said, dropping my hand like it had burned him.
    I swallowed thickly and rubbed my arms. “I can’t,” I said, raising my voice slightly, trying to find my backbone again. The situation with Tag had scared me. And part of me wanted to listen to Yoss and go home.
    But then I thought of what I’d be going home to so I stood my ground.
    “Look, girl—”
    “Imogen. My name is Imogen. Though my friends call me Imi,” I interrupted. Was I allowing this strangely beautiful boy to call me the nickname reserved for people I actually liked?
    Absolutely.
    He had saved my life. That gave you nickname rights in my book.
    “Imogen, cool name.” He smiled and I smiled. It was sort of contagious. But then his face became serious again. “Imi, you don’t belong out here. That’s obvious. You’ve got a home don’t you?”
    “Not one where I want to be,” I muttered.
    Yoss ran his hand through his hair and sighed with frustration. “Well that’s the difference between you and every other kid out here, Imogen. You have a home you don’t want to go to. The rest of us just don’t have a home . So I don’t give a fuck how sad and pathetic you think your life is, do yourself a favor and run your pretty little tail all the way back to your white picket fence.” He sounded angry whereas before he had been fiercely protective.
    I didn’t want to explain all the reasons that wasn’t an option for me. Sure, he had saved me from some potentially horrible shit, but I wouldn’t expose myself like that to anyone.
    “I can’t,” I repeated obstinately.
    Yoss looked incredibly sad. For some reason it made my heart hurt. “Then you’re an idiot. No one chooses to be out here. This isn’t a decision anyone would make if they had a choice.”
    “I wouldn’t be here if I did,” I admitted quietly.
    I hung my head, staring at the fractured ground beneath our feet. Broken concrete, pieces of rock, dead grass. Slivers of glass from shattered bottles gleamed in the newly risen moonlight.
    Yoss didn’t say anything for a long time. And when he finally did, he said the only thing that would have made me feel any better in this crap situation I found myself in.
    “Well come on then. I’ll help you find somewhere to sleep tonight. Tomorrow you can tell me why you don’t have any options.”
    “Why are you being nice to me? I was a total bitch face to you earlier,” I asked, confused by why he’d stick his neck out for a stranger. A nobody.
    I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I glanced up, startled at the physical contact. He was a good deal taller than me. The top of my head only came to his chin. I had to crane my neck to look into his face.
    I wasn’t the touchy feely sort. I had grown used to the lack hugs and kisses. Mom rarely gave them and when she did it usually came with strings attached. A kiss before leaving me home alone while she went off chasing the new set of trousers. A hug as she let me know I’d be fending for myself for dinner once again.
    But Yoss’s hand on my shoulder didn’t seem to come with conditions. It was comforting. That was it.
    “Because I recognize that look on your face.”
    I frowned, not sure what he was talking about.
    Yoss smiled softly and then dropped his hand. I shivered again. “The I’m-just-trying- to-get-the-hell-out-of-here look,” he explained.
    I tensed, but didn’t argue. What was the point? He was right. I probably did look like some sort of caged animal desperate for my escape.
    “We’ve all been there. Just don’t get stuck trying to find your way out. There’s more to life than these fucking streets. If I were you, I’d start figuring stuff out pretty damn quickly.” He wasn’t being condescending, but his been-there-done-that garbage rubbed me the wrong way.
    “Says the kid hanging out underneath a bridge,” I snapped. I couldn’t help it.