a dream from which we cannot wake

Draw the cat eye, sharp enough to kill a man
You did some bad things, but I'm the worst of them

For the briefest of moments, Noe wondered if perhaps she had miscalculated, worried that perhaps she had taken Jude's admission too literally with their long jaunt down to the beachfront playground. But then he clambered up to the "treehouse" to join her, his knees bumping against hers and their heads bowed in the cramped space, and she joined in his laughter with something breathless and joyful. She loved the beach, with its crashing waves and salty breeze, and to have that as the backdrop of their new friendship made it all the more special.

"Of course it is," Noe said breezily, flashing a teasing grin. "That's because I'm the nicest person you've ever met, admit it." But she reached out to squeeze his hand in solidarity even as she teased, because in this moment, and under these circumstances, he had her full support. He deserved nice things and nice people, nicer people than Noe, but by the gods, if she was all he was going to have right now, she was going to do her damnedest to make it count.

"Ah, but you said you wrote music, too. You could always sing me a song," she pointed out with a wink of her own, tickled at the way Jude seemed to be coming out of his shell. "It may not be on paper, but it will live in my memory forevermore," she said dramatically, fluttering her lashes at him for a playful touch.

Sometimes I wonder which one will be your last lie
They say looks can kill and I might try

Noe