diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index cf10eef4..e46b89f8 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ exclude = ["benches/", "tests/"]
 bitflags = "2.9"
 bytemuck = { version = "1.22", features = ["extern_crate_alloc"] }
 core_maths = "0.1" # only for no_std builds
-read-fonts = { version = "0.36.0", default-features = false, features = ["libm"] }
-# read-fonts = { git = "https://github.com/googlefonts/fontations", default-features = false, features = ["libm"] }
+# read-fonts = { version = "0.36.0", default-features = false, features = ["libm"] }
+read-fonts = { git = "https://github.com/googlefonts/fontations", branch = "unchecked-read", default-features = false, features = ["libm"] }
 smallvec = "1.14"
 
 [features]
diff --git a/src/hb/buffer.rs b/src/hb/buffer.rs
index adc69ac3..af3f54d7 100644
--- a/src/hb/buffer.rs
+++ b/src/hb/buffer.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+use crate::hb::unsafe_vec::UnsafeVec;
 use crate::U32Set;
-use alloc::{string::String, vec::Vec};
+use alloc::string::String;
 use core::cmp::min;
 use core::convert::TryFrom;
 use read_fonts::types::{GlyphId, GlyphId16};
@@ -420,8 +421,8 @@ pub struct hb_buffer_t {
     pub len: usize,
     pub out_len: usize,
 
-    pub info: Vec<GlyphInfo>,
-    pub pos: Vec<GlyphPosition>,
+    pub info: UnsafeVec<GlyphInfo>,
+    pub pos: UnsafeVec<GlyphPosition>,
 
     // Text before / after the main buffer contents.
     // Always in Unicode, and ordered outward.
@@ -472,8 +473,8 @@ impl hb_buffer_t {
             idx: 0,
             len: 0,
             out_len: 0,
-            info: Vec::new(),
-            pos: Vec::new(),
+            info: UnsafeVec::new(),
+            pos: UnsafeVec::new(),
             have_separate_output: false,
             allocated_var_bits: 0,
             serial: 0,
@@ -770,8 +771,12 @@ impl hb_buffer_t {
 
         if self.have_separate_output {
             // Swap info and pos buffers.
-            let info: Vec<GlyphPosition> = bytemuck::cast_vec(core::mem::take(&mut self.info));
-            let pos: Vec<GlyphInfo> = bytemuck::cast_vec(core::mem::take(&mut self.pos));
+            let info: UnsafeVec<GlyphPosition> = UnsafeVec {
+                inner: bytemuck::cast_vec(core::mem::take(&mut self.info)),
+            };
+            let pos: UnsafeVec<GlyphInfo> = UnsafeVec {
+                inner: bytemuck::cast_vec(core::mem::take(&mut self.pos)),
+            };
             self.pos = info;
             self.info = pos;
             self.have_separate_output = false;
diff --git a/src/hb/mod.rs b/src/hb/mod.rs
index 4dc1f8c3..ba89c230 100644
--- a/src/hb/mod.rs
+++ b/src/hb/mod.rs
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ mod text_parser;
 #[rustfmt::skip]
 mod ucd_table;
 mod unicode;
+mod unsafe_vec;
 
 use read_fonts::types::Tag as hb_tag_t;
 
diff --git a/src/hb/ot/gpos/pair.rs b/src/hb/ot/gpos/pair.rs
index 4f5ad18c..c25855af 100644
--- a/src/hb/ot/gpos/pair.rs
+++ b/src/hb/ot/gpos/pair.rs
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ impl Apply for PairPosFormat2<'_> {
         // Compute an offset into the 2D array of positioning records
         let record_offset = (class1 as usize * record_size * self.class2_count() as usize)
             + (class2 as usize * record_size)
-            + self.shape().class1_records_byte_range().start;
+            + self.class1_records_byte_range().start;
         let has_record2 = !format2.is_empty();
         let worked1 = !format1.is_empty()
             && super::apply_value(ctx, ctx.buffer.idx, &data, record_offset, format1) == Some(true);
diff --git a/src/hb/ot/gpos/single.rs b/src/hb/ot/gpos/single.rs
index a5b3ffb3..de383fdb 100644
--- a/src/hb/ot/gpos/single.rs
+++ b/src/hb/ot/gpos/single.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ impl Apply for SinglePosFormat1<'_> {
         let glyph = ctx.buffer.cur(0).as_glyph();
         self.coverage().ok()?.get(glyph)?;
         let format = self.value_format();
-        let offset = self.shape().value_record_byte_range().start;
+        let offset = self.value_record_byte_range().start;
         super::apply_value(ctx, ctx.buffer.idx, &self.offset_data(), offset, format);
         ctx.buffer.idx += 1;
         Some(())
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ impl Apply for SinglePosFormat2<'_> {
         let glyph = ctx.buffer.cur(0).as_glyph();
         let index = self.coverage().ok()?.get(glyph)? as usize;
         let format = self.value_format();
-        let offset =
-            self.shape().value_records_byte_range().start + (format.record_byte_len() * index);
+        let offset = self.value_records_byte_range().start + (format.record_byte_len() * index);
         super::apply_value(ctx, ctx.buffer.idx, &self.offset_data(), offset, format);
         ctx.buffer.idx += 1;
         Some(())
diff --git a/src/hb/unsafe_vec.rs b/src/hb/unsafe_vec.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..77fa7d56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hb/unsafe_vec.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,225 @@
+use std::fmt;
+use std::ops::{
+    Deref, DerefMut, Index, IndexMut, Range, RangeFrom, RangeFull, RangeInclusive, RangeTo,
+    RangeToInclusive,
+};
+
+#[repr(transparent)]
+pub struct UnsafeVec<T> {
+    pub inner: Vec<T>,
+}
+
+impl<T> UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Self { inner: Vec::new() }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn with_capacity(cap: usize) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner: Vec::with_capacity(cap),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.inner.len()
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.inner.is_empty()
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn push(&mut self, value: T) {
+        self.inner.push(value);
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn as_ptr(&self) -> *const T {
+        self.inner.as_ptr()
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn as_mut_ptr(&mut self) -> *mut T {
+        self.inner.as_mut_ptr()
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<T> {
+        self.inner
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn from_vec(v: Vec<T>) -> Self {
+        Self { inner: v }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Default for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::new()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T: fmt::Debug> fmt::Debug for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        self.inner.fmt(f)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Expose full Vec<T> API (resize/truncate/extend/etc.)
+impl<T> Deref for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Target = Vec<T>;
+    #[inline]
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Vec<T> {
+        &self.inner
+    }
+}
+impl<T> DerefMut for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Vec<T> {
+        &mut self.inner
+    }
+}
+
+/// Unchecked single-element indexing (UB if out of bounds)
+impl<T> Index<usize> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Output = T;
+    #[inline]
+    fn index(&self, i: usize) -> &T {
+        unsafe { self.inner.get_unchecked(i) }
+    }
+}
+impl<T> IndexMut<usize> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn index_mut(&mut self, i: usize) -> &mut T {
+        unsafe { self.inner.get_unchecked_mut(i) }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Unchecked range indexing (UB if invalid range)
+impl<T> Index<Range<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Output = [T];
+    #[inline]
+    fn index(&self, r: Range<usize>) -> &[T] {
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts(self.inner.as_ptr().add(r.start), r.end - r.start) }
+    }
+}
+impl<T> IndexMut<Range<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn index_mut(&mut self, r: Range<usize>) -> &mut [T] {
+        unsafe {
+            std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.inner.as_mut_ptr().add(r.start), r.end - r.start)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Index<RangeFrom<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Output = [T];
+    #[inline]
+    fn index(&self, r: RangeFrom<usize>) -> &[T] {
+        let len = self.inner.len();
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts(self.inner.as_ptr().add(r.start), len - r.start) }
+    }
+}
+impl<T> IndexMut<RangeFrom<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn index_mut(&mut self, r: RangeFrom<usize>) -> &mut [T] {
+        let len = self.inner.len();
+        unsafe {
+            std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.inner.as_mut_ptr().add(r.start), len - r.start)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Index<RangeTo<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Output = [T];
+    #[inline]
+    fn index(&self, r: RangeTo<usize>) -> &[T] {
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts(self.inner.as_ptr(), r.end) }
+    }
+}
+impl<T> IndexMut<RangeTo<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn index_mut(&mut self, r: RangeTo<usize>) -> &mut [T] {
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.inner.as_mut_ptr(), r.end) }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Index<RangeFull> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Output = [T];
+    #[inline]
+    fn index(&self, _: RangeFull) -> &[T] {
+        &self.inner
+    }
+}
+impl<T> IndexMut<RangeFull> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn index_mut(&mut self, _: RangeFull) -> &mut [T] {
+        &mut self.inner
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Index<RangeInclusive<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Output = [T];
+    #[inline]
+    fn index(&self, r: RangeInclusive<usize>) -> &[T] {
+        let start = *r.start();
+        let end_incl = *r.end();
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts(self.inner.as_ptr().add(start), end_incl - start + 1) }
+    }
+}
+impl<T> IndexMut<RangeInclusive<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn index_mut(&mut self, r: RangeInclusive<usize>) -> &mut [T] {
+        let start = *r.start();
+        let end_incl = *r.end();
+        unsafe {
+            std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.inner.as_mut_ptr().add(start), end_incl - start + 1)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> Index<RangeToInclusive<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Output = [T];
+    #[inline]
+    fn index(&self, r: RangeToInclusive<usize>) -> &[T] {
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts(self.inner.as_ptr(), r.end + 1) }
+    }
+}
+impl<T> IndexMut<RangeToInclusive<usize>> for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn index_mut(&mut self, r: RangeToInclusive<usize>) -> &mut [T] {
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.inner.as_mut_ptr(), r.end + 1) }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Iteration support: `for x in &v`, `for x in &mut v`, `for x in v`
+impl<'a, T> IntoIterator for &'a UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Item = &'a T;
+    type IntoIter = std::slice::Iter<'a, T>;
+    #[inline]
+    fn into_iter(self) -> Self::IntoIter {
+        self.inner.iter()
+    }
+}
+impl<'a, T> IntoIterator for &'a mut UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Item = &'a mut T;
+    type IntoIter = std::slice::IterMut<'a, T>;
+    #[inline]
+    fn into_iter(self) -> Self::IntoIter {
+        self.inner.iter_mut()
+    }
+}
+impl<T> IntoIterator for UnsafeVec<T> {
+    type Item = T;
+    type IntoIter = std::vec::IntoIter<T>;
+    #[inline]
+    fn into_iter(self) -> Self::IntoIter {
+        self.inner.into_iter()
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index f45f702e..2f685f69 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ A complete [harfbuzz](https://github.com/harfbuzz/harfbuzz) shaping algorithm po
 #![cfg_attr(not(feature = "std"), no_std)]
 // Forbidding unsafe code only applies to the lib
 // examples continue to use it, so this cannot be placed into Cargo.toml
-#![forbid(unsafe_code)]
+//#![forbid(unsafe_code)]
 #![warn(missing_docs)]
 
 extern crate alloc;