Her throat was so tight, she felt like she couldn’t breathe.  Arilyn squeezed her eyes shut against the tears welling up, hands clutching at her pillowcase, balling into fists.  I can’t just let it happen.  I can’t just let it happen.  But I have to, don’t I?  Don’t I?  But I can’t just let him…
            She choked on a sob, shaking her head hard.  “What if it’s not real?  What if it’s not real and I stop him from doing something good?”  She grabbed her pillow, held it against her face, screamed into it—screamed for so long that she was out of breath when the lights came on in her room.
            “Ari?”
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