Oscar leaned in, eyes wide. ‘He’s keeping me,’ he whispered to the kitten.Pebble chirped. Oscar’s eyes flicked to the books underneath his bed. They called out to him: Misfit. Orphan. Idiot.Oscar coughed and shifted his eyes back to Pebble. ‘He thinks I can work the shop. … He said he knew I could do it.’Wolf: He didn’t see you work the shop. He doesn’t know. Just wait until he hears.’He wants me to do the best I can.’Wolf: If only he knew how bad that was. He’ll know soon.Oscar clenched his hands into fists and squeezed his eyes shut. … ‘I’m not going to disappoint him,’ Oscar said. He repeated himself once more, in case the words themselves had any power. ‘I’m not.

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