Page 30 (1/2)

As far as I can tell, he hasn’t told Chloe a thing The only tie plans at all was over coffee this n you up for the SAT," he said, his voice low "In Austin, nextthein my expression must have let him know that the reality of what I was about to do to ht?" He stared directly into my eyes, concerned "Are you sure, Emma?"

"Yes, it’s perfect" I sat down at the table with es of the Wall Street Journal As he scanned the front page, he said, "I suppose you’ll need to decide where you’re going to apply"

I sed "Yeah, I have a lot to think about"

"You have tiet those applications in, and there will probably be auditions of so you want to start next fall" My sto to be in class With other people In soe in front of an audience and filht of interacting with a classroo scares the crap out of hon the titles and unable to settle on anything Whenup on both reading andback? Wanna run to?

Me: Sure At the airport now

Grahae

Graha h

Graham: Don’t worry You’ll do fine

Me: Thanks :)

Graham: NP I’m about to board See you in austin

Chapter 32

REID

Monday evening, everyone hangs out in my hotel room, sprawled across the bed, sofa and floor space We order room service while atch (and ht his guitar back with him from LA, and he and Graham trade subdued sets while we all discuss our weekends away There arecloser attention to theuely re me a few years back that I should learn to play an instruestions that I didn’t follow

E a hard tinize the scent she wears noeet and subtle If I could ht with the snap of ed and barefoot, her shoulder brushing mine, her toenails painted a purple so dark it’s al at ht are a hollowan all-out play to get hiht back froave him advice he won’t heed I listen distractedly as he shares his predicament with everyone else

"I wasn’t home thirty minutes before my ex shows up at the door My little sister lets her in, almost like someone told her when I’d be hohs "Als "Dude, my ex had sisters If she decides to butt into your love life, you are so screwed"

"Yeah, what a coincidence, right? So I shutI’d coone But when I opened my bedroom door, the whole damned house smelled like chocolate chip cookies" He shakes his head "Kis They’re like little dollops of heaven"

Brooke holds both hands up "Did you just say little dollops of heaven? I’ain"

"Oh, Quinton What did you do?" MiShaun asks

"You guys don’t understand! This girl, we’ve known each other since ere five She knows every weakness I’ve got!"

"You got back together with her?" Brooke asks Quinton runs a hand over his face and nods, and the rooer chords softly, and then he’s glancing at E his eyes I feel her shoulders vibrate faintly with her silent laughter Oh, hell no

I turn my head and she looks at me I want to kiss her, but that’s too conspicuous on the jealousy scale--she wasn’t thrilled the last time I did that Instead, I leanGraha her silently to do the sa Quinton says sends the rest of the roolances at her cell phone "Wow, it’s late," she says, unfolding her legs "I need to get up early to run I’d better get to bed"