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She turns and glances back into her house, then faces ain "Sort of"

Sort of

I take her reply for what it is She’s obviously trying not to be rude, but I can see that this stupid idea of mine to just show up announced was just thata stupid idea

I glance athow far the walk of sha over o" I take a step down and begin to turn towardI was anywhere but in this aard predicament

"No," she says quickly She takes a step back and opens the door for ht be put to work"

Instant relief overcolance around the living rooht now I hope she is, because it would s a lot easier if it were just the two of us

She walks aroundcup and resu before I showed up on her doorstep Her back is to me and she’s quiet I slowlyher bar

"You prepping for a bake sale?" I ask,my way around the bar so that her back isn’t completely to me

"Myup at o crazy when she’s not here"

Her irl out I reach over to the plate of cookies between us on the bar and pick one up, looking to her for permission to try it

"Help yourself," she says "But be warned, just because I like to bake doesn’t ood at it" She refocuses her attention to the bowl in front of her

"So you get the house to yourself and you spend Friday night baking? Typical teenager," I tease I take a bite of the cookie and ohod She can bake I like her even"I’m a rebel"

I sain There have to be a dozen there and I plan on eating at least half of theonna need milk

She’s still intensely focused on the bowl in front of her, so I take it uponerator She doesn’t answer erator and relass I finish the rest of the cookie, then take a drink I wince, because whatever the hell this is, it’s not realthe refrigerator and see that it’s almond milk I don’t want to be rude, so I take another drink and turn around

She’s looking straight at me with an arched eyebrow I smile "You shouldn’t offer cookies without milk, you know You’re a pretty pathetic hostess" I swipe another cookie and take a seat at the bar

She grins right before she turns around to face the counter again "I try to save h "Ouch"

The sarcash, because it helps ease my tension She powers on the mixer and keeps her focus on the bowl in front of her I love that she hasn’t asked why I’ here, but I also know from previous interaction with her that she’s incredibly stubborn andhere, no matter how much she wants to know

She turns off the s one to her ulp

"Want one?" she says, holding one up for me to take "It’s German chocolate"

"How hospitable of you"

"Shut up and lick it or I’ly She slass ater "You want so you can stoh, then i to be nice, but I can’t take another sip of whatever the hell this is Yes, water Please"

She laughs and fills my cup ater, then takes a seat across fro eye contact with me She doesn’t speak but I know she’s curious why I’h, makes me admire her stubbornness

I know I should offer upup out of the blue, but I’ out with her a little longer I’ it

We silently watch each other until she’s al atmy pulse race and if I don’t look away fro I want to say to her all at once

In order to avoid that, I stand up and walk into the living room to take a look around I can’t watch her eat for another second and I need to refocusto forget

There are several pictures hanging on her walls, so I walk closer to them to take a look There aren’t any pictures of her that are er than she is now are jarring to look at She really does look just like Hope