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"It ht and his parents found us thisand they called !"

I sit back and cover my mouth "And, uh, what happened…?"

"Yeah, I wasn’t, um, clothed" Her hand shakes as she sips her coffee "Reain, okay?"

"Oh randfather and brother?"

"Ty wanted to fly home froa if the backup quarterback disappeared just to go kill somebody"

"Were Mr and Mrs Whitfield pissed?"

Vanessa taps her fork on her plate "His dad made jokes, but like, his mom? She see Rory that girls like irlfriend material’"

"What the hell does that mean? Girlfriend material?"

"I’ve only had one serious boyfriend my entire life But Mrs Whitfield seemed to be under the impression I sleep around all the tiuy!"

I clear ht?"

Her face goes red She shovels another bite of pie in her onna need ht?" she asks "You ran off pretty quick"

"Well, uiving me a look that says, I just told you I woke up in a boy’s bed and Star Wars sheets were involved

"Jack and I fooled around," I say softly, lare at us, including a couple of trucker guys But after they get a good look at Vanessa and her Ahter

"And?" she says

"It was great," I whisper back "But Mr and Mrs Goodwin stopped by and I had to hide in the closet"

"The closet"

"Yeah, and Jack has tons of cowboy boots And then we made out some more in the closet"

Her uys, like, gonna hook up again…or get together…?"

"No idea," I say "I don’t even knohat Jack wants yet His dad would be pissed My dad would be horrified"

She pops another bite of pie into herwith hi I want, I want, I want

"Be careful…Jack rarely has serious girlfriends," Vanessa says slowly, cradling her cup "Although you did make out with hie the subject "What about you and Rory?"

"I’m so embarrassed," Vanessa says quietly "I’onna let me come back over to her house You knohat she said to er brothers hadn’t seen you here What kind of exaet the same lecture?" I ask

"No, his Dad just sent hi called a e and take a drink of coffee "I’m sure Mrs Whitfield was just shocked," I say "I ine"

Not that Vanessa or I would know anything about that Several years ago her parents were in a car crash: her father died on the scene and her mom died a while later from her injuries

"It’s just ’cause I look like this," she et to know me It’s all about my looks They think I must be evil because I’m pretty Or they think I have the perfect life--when really I just miss my parents…"

I’m about to tell her that no one thinks that her life is perfect, but hell, I’ve thought itWe never will unless we ask

"I’m your friend," I tell her "And if Mrs Whitfield doesn’t see how great you are, then screw her"

Vanessa looks up and gives me a small smile "I just hope Rory doesn’t want to end stuff…you know? I haven’t heard froht he would’ve found a way to call"

"Don’t worry He really likes you…"

She grins, looking into her coffee cup "So how’d you end up in bed with Jack Goodwin last night?"

"How’d you end up in bed with Rory and Darth Vader?" I fire back

"And Chewbacca"

I groan, laughing

We finish off two ossip, and the pie tastes a little sweeter than usual

Vanessa has this prehistoric plaid couch the color of Halloween

Orange, red, gold, and ed ourselves on pie, and now here I a carpet and frayed curtains Family pictures cover the walls and end tables