Lee’s never been able to tell Michael much about what she feels, it’s true, but that hasn’t kept him from asking. He knows she feels something, and he’s always curious about what that is. Sometimes she can tell him more. When she can’t, he tells her how he feels instead.
“I’m scared, too,” he says, cheek resting on the top of her head. “Worried. But I’m—“
He almost says I’m not supposed to talk about bad things that might happen, but that’s not real. The rules and orders aren’t real. He sighs. “I wish I was there, too. I don’t wanna be an astronaut, but I wanna know what it’s like to be out there. No helmet, no spacesuit, that’s how I’d want it. No machines. Just us.”
It’s a wish, but it sounds as sad as it does dreamy. Lee can feel his throat move as he swallows.