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So far I’ve cleaned the bathrooerator and vacuumed - twice It’s after nine and E to think that her things are sie, or maybe she just didn’t want to carry a lot of junk with her

Maybe she’s staying with one of her school friends, and she didn’t need her hygiene stuff Maybe ht about what she would need to do for money wasn’t that far off the erous, or worse yet, so has already happened to her There’s no one butdo I have to wait before I turn her in as afor at least twenty-four hours, but one for a couple days Oh, God - what if she’s hurt and lying soet to her in time

"Ow!" I hitthe dried and caked sha startles oing to call the cops and lie and tell the of tennis shoes against the linoleum, then a thud on the carpet I turn and look down the hall to see a brown-haired beauty face down on the floor

"Eh when she looks up at led in her face

"Ethan, it’s you! It’s really you!" She scra her hair out of her hter than I can ever rehter than a sunny day at the equator We settle on the couch, still holding on to each other I can’t seeo

"Where have you been?" There doesn’t seery with me?

I’o anywhere I was just running away, E ood reason for leaving her

"I knoon’t make any difference now because you probably hate me, but I love you too, Emily I have sinceforever, and I’ to tell you I should have said it to you a week ago instead of running away like the coward I a how I feel about you I’ve never been in love before, but I’m pretty sure this is what it feels like I can’t think about anything else but you - how you laugh, the way you coht after the shower God!"

So soft, warm and moist Emily’s lips are on mine and her ar me, and I don’t ever want her to stop

Her s I want her to do with herE in my head the at the moment is "woo-hoo" If I really think about what is actually happening, I’llpart, but the part where she’s willing to forgive all ht Now that I’ about it

Daer "E where to start "We have to talk about this," I ly It’s written all over her face; she thinks I’ain

"Look," I pull her chin up so her eyes s for you They haven’t changed in the last few years, and they won’t change in the next few, either What I have to know, though, is how you are feeling"

She starts shaking her head, telling me not to worry, but that’s precisely the problery with me

"Emily, you should be upset withto letnear the end of et myself in check before I completely lose it