Page 21 (1/2)

I notice sonoly little smirk It's like he knows He knows I' me Just as I'm about to shut the curtain and let him win, I notice someone pull up in our driveway Eddie

I open the front door to Will’s house and wave as she gets out of her car "Eddie, I’m over here!" She looks at me, back toward my house, then back at me with a confused look across her face before she crosses the street

Great Why did I just do that? How a to explain this?

I step aside and hold the door open for her as she enters, eyeing the living room curiously

"Are you okay? I’ve called you a hundred times!" she says as she plops down on the sofa She props her foot up on the coffee table and starts re her boots "Whose house is this?"

I don’t have to answer her The fa on the wall in front of her answers for me

"Oh," she says That’s all she says about it, though

"Well? What happened? Did she tell you who he is? Do you know his and take the seat next to her

"Eddie? Are you ready to hearI’ve ever done?"

She raises her eyebrows and waits foranyone, she’s sick She has cancer"

Eddie places her boots beside her and brings her feet back up to the coffee table as she leans back against the couch She has two completely different socks on

"Man, that’s unreal," she says

"Yeah, it is But it’sat her black fingernails I can tell she doesn’t really knohat to say Instead of saying anything, she just leans across the couch and hugs ht before she bounces up

"So, what’s Mr Cooper got to drink around here?" She walks to the kitchen and opens the refrigerator She grabs two glasses and fills the room where she fills them with soda

"Couldn’t find any wine He’s such a bore," she says as she hands"I don’t know I left right after she told h I haven’t been able to face her"

I turn ain I know it’s inevitable I know I’ll have to face her; I just want one o talk to her"

I roll my eyes "God, you sound just like Will"

She takes a sip of her drink and returns it to the coffee table "Speaking of Will"

Here we go

"Layken, I’ so hard to mind my business I really a the saht If you don’t at least deny there’s so it"

I sigh She’s right Fro on than there really is I don’t have a choice but to be honest with her or she’ll assume the worst of him

"Fine But Eddie, you have to-"

"I swear Not even to Gavin"

"Okay Well, Ithere, between both of us He asked reat tiht of ht ofnow I hesitate before I continue She can tell byand her smile fades

"We didn’t know Until my first day of school, I didn’t knoas a teacher He didn’t knoas in high school"

She stands up "The hallway! That’s as going on in the hallway!"

I nod

"Oh ain She falls back onto the couch

"Shit That sucks"

I nod again

"But you’re here You spent the night," she grins "He couldn’t hold back could he?"

I shake my head "It’s not like that I was upset so he leta friend"

She slu we caved

"Just one more question Your poem It was about hihs

She’s quiet again, but not for long "Last question I swear For real"

I look at her, letting her know it's okay to continue

"Is he a good kisser?"

I sod, he’s so freakin' hot!"

"I know!" She claps her hands and bounces on the couch

Our laughter fades as the reality of the aze at our house across the street while she takes our glasses to the sink As she’s walking back through the living roorabs my hand and pullsto talk to yourabout Eddie that you just don’t object to