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We stood at the saates were in opposite directions He reached for me and I walked into his arms I pressedto walk away, and I was going to let hi him why he’d kissed me "I’ll miss you, Emma," he said Under my ear, his chest resonated faintly withhis hold, he took my face in his hands and kissed my te to gather his bags When he was fifteen or twenty feet away, he looked back, tipped his chin, and save a little wave and took a deep breath, ait The way he paid no attention to the girls who turned to watch him pass The way I felt the loss of hiht

"So… I think he took that well," Dad says after the phone call to Dan to tell hi a hiatus froe Dad rubs the back of his neck with one hand while he stares at the phone in the other

"You aren’t a very good liar, Dad"

"Well, he’s received the news I guess how he likes it is his problerading exa uptheelboith celebrities, have been dashed She didn’t speak to either of us for days, but she’s alned herself to the idea now I think

Dad winks at ht you and I could use a weekend getaway Visit a winery or two… stay at a B-and-B?"

"Really?" She brightens, and then her expression falls "But what about--" she gestures towards e juice

"Emma’s an adult now, Chloe She can handle a weekend at home alone" When he mentioned the idea last week, I assured hio, have fun"

I scroll through my texts as I walk to ht that I want to reread

Grahairl

Me: You re special to celebrate being 18?

Me: Like what, voting?

Graha to dinner with dad and chloe

Graha btw

Me: Really well, actually

Graha upstate with my sisters for some r&r this weekend

Me: Jealous I alanted sisters

Graham: Trust me, it was the opposite of awesoh for them to know me in public

Me: Lol Enjoy your weekend

Grahae on my phone I haven’t seen anyone from School Pride in the weeks since rapped the film The new version of my old life has reabsorbed me These few lines and a feeeks of ettable kiss--are all I have left of Grahaotten off work Each was dressed to sell an ie to their respective custoht dead in each other’s social circles From the violet stripes in her dark hair and her black-tipped fingernails to her biker boots with buckles running ankle to mid-calf, she couldn’t have appeared more incompatible with him--tan and lanky with short blond hair, dressed in a button-down shirt, untucked, skinny chinos and Sperrys As I watched theht that they were doo her hand, he pulled her to a stop and s in the world that made him happy As he framed her face with careful hands and kissed her, sheto the saes, lish degree while writing a novel--and he says any decent academic environment will do I’ve never seen her like this My best friend, independent and unco our entire lives, has fallen in love Hard

I’er feel the need to escape ed itself inelse seened the me to the east coast, at least for a while

I did so role in a low-budget production of It’s a Wonderful Life Dad didn’t s, though I’ve been co tells me I’ll miss him and the way he looks at et enough now that I’m here

Chapter 44