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October 24 - November 22, 2021
Unusual was one way to describe his parents’ relationship. Leila had often wondered aloud what their calm mother had seen in their brash father, but Malik had chosen to see their union as a sign that opposites really did attract. It had given him hope that one day he too might find someone who could balance out the worst parts of himself, though that possibility seemed to dwindle the older he became.
“Why the elastic?” “Ah, so that next time you feel like doing that”—Adetunde nodded at the stinging cuts on Malik’s arms—“you do this instead.” He snapped the elastic against the inside of Malik’s wrist, and Malik flinched at the sudden pain. However, it didn’t break skin, which made it an improvement over the alternative. “That little trick has helped me out a lot.”
“Get up.” A girl with bright amber eyes crouched beside Malik, offering him her hand. In this chaotic, blurry world, she was the only thing in perfect focus, and Malik didn’t fight as she pulled him to his feet. Hand in hand, they slipped through the raid and into a darkened doorway several streets from the plaza.

