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Juniper

I try to containacross fro on and on about how I’ll learn so ra

And that’s saying so, I think to myself with a smirk

I’ve lived in Lake Puckettabout enerator for storm season

Meanwhile, the placeme off to is even more desolate than raet row up into the person they know I can be’ What does that even mean?

“Juniper,” s “I know you’re eighteen, but your father and I are both pleased that you’ve agreed to this option”

“That being said,” hout our tiny kitchen, “you hter, and you will learn to behave before we let you out into the world”

My parents – Jiht call the salt of the earth They are the kind of folks who have worked hard their entire lives to see that my own life turns out better than their own They claiood, but I have the feeling that part of their motivation is at least partially selfish: they don’t kno to cope with the fact that I’irl they so desperately want eants and baking cookies for our local fair, but let’s just say erous

“Look, I agreed to this program on a trial basis,” I remind them sharply, “and also because it was this or juvie”

At the mention of juvenile detention, my mom clutches her dinner napkin to her mouth and whimpers softly

“You’re upsetting your oing to ask twice”