Henry Cheng

Henry watched her settle and then unsettle, and he wanted to assure her that it was fine, but instead he just kept sort of smiling. He wanted to curl himself up with her and fidget her barrettes around into different configurations, listening to the music, talk about what they liked and disliked about whatever came up.

So, instead, he leaned back against the breakfast bar. "Before anyone else can," he observed. "If I do it first, then it takes away some of their power. It is much easier to be critical than it is to be angry."