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"What? Neither of you like Val?" I know Val is a bitch, but my faht she’d be upset we broke up

"I hate Val," Chunk says

"God, roans

"Me three,"pastatlike this has been a previously discussed topic

"You mean all of you hated Val?"

My father turns to face y, Danny-boy Don’t act so surprised"

Chunk raises her hand in the air toward ized hih-fives Chunk’s hand "Well played, Chunk"

I lean against the frauys were just pretending to like Val? What the hell for?"

My dad sits at the table and picks up a newspaper "Children are naturally inclined to make choices that will displease their parents If we had told you hoe really felt about Val, you probably would have ended upher just to spite us Which is e pretended to love her"

Assholes All three of theain"

My father laughs, but doesn’t seem at all disappointed

"Who is she?" Chunk asks "The girl you’re actuallyan effort for"

"None of your damn business," I reply "Now that I kno this fa her around any of you"

I turn to head out the door and my mother calls after me "Well if it helps, we already love her, Daniel! She’s a sweetheart!"

"And beautiful," my dad says "She’s a keeper!"

I shake my head "Y’all suck"

"You’re late," Six says when she appears at her front door She walks out of her house with her back toher key in the lock

"You don’t wanther door this early in the evening She turns around and faces me

"They’re old They ate dinner like ten hours ago and went to bed at seven"

Blue Her eyes are blue

Holy shit, she’s cute Her hair is lighter than I thought it was last night in Sky’s rooirl froht She really does look like a fucking angel

She steps out of the way and I shut the screen door, still unable to take ot here early," I say, finally replying to her first co Sky off at her house and I swear it took theood-byes I had to wait until the coast was clear"

She slides her house key into her back pocket and nods "Ready?"

I eye her up and down "Did you forget your purse?"

She shakes her head "Nope I hate purses" She pats her back pocket "All I need isht?"

Whoa

Back up

Let’s assess the last thirty seconds, shall we?

She hates purses Thatthat shit like Val does It also allon of perfume anywhere on her person And it also means she had no plans at all to offer to pay for her half of dinner, which seems a little old-fashioned but for some reason I like it

"I love that you don’t carry a purse," I say

"I love that you don’t carry one, either," she says with a laugh

"I do It’s inins walking toward the porch steps I do the sa just inside her roorab Six by her shoulders and pull her until both of our backs are flat against the front door "You can see Sky’sfrolances up atthis off-limits order seriously," she says in a hushed voice

"I have to," I whisper "Holder doesn’t kid around when he forbids me to date people"

She arches a curious eyebrow "Does Holder usually dictate who you can and can’t date?"

"No You’re actually the first"

She laughs "Then how do you know he’ll actually get"I don’t, really But the thought of hiding it fro for you, hiding this date frouess it is"

Our backs are still pressed against the door and for so It’s not like Sky could hear us fro makes it more fun And I really like the sound of Six’s voice when she whispers