Chapter 11

• Astra went up the stairs without pausing for an instant, letting her feet walk the familiar path to the music room, where the door was slightly ajar. Astra was grateful that there were no instruments playing there because she wasn't sure she could handle the atmosphere. She was already finding it difficult to even be in the same room as Nicholas. The walls she'd let down were coming back up again, and she was powerless to stop them.
• Astra opened the door and saw Nicholas seated on a plush and comfortable-looking sky blue bean bag, with papers sprawled around him. He looked deeply focused, and Astra appreciated the fact that he'd started without her .
• "Are you going to keep on standing there or come over here?" The tone with which the words were uttered was not harsh; rather, they were mild, playful even. She gulped.