“I’m not cheap,” she said. “All right.” He leaned back. She wanted to crush the latent joke he never quite delivered, flatten it under her knuckles. “Tell me. What is it that you most want in the world, young queen.” She took a deep breath and pressed her knees together to stop them from shaking. “College tuition,” she said. “For all four years.” He put both hands flat on the table and gave a sharp laugh. “I was thinking a handbag. But you were thinking indentured servitude?” he said. She thought: Oh. [So young! So capable of surprise.] Then she thought: Oh, no, he had laughed at her. Her face
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