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"Molly?"

Reht with her will change your life"

It was strange, abrupt yet slowand suddenly it was there, tiptoeing through his veins There wasn’t an intense rush of sensation, blinding and all consuh No, for the first time in quite a while, he felt like he had his feet firround

He tried to find the words to describe the feeling, but none existed It was new, yet soood that ever lived inside of hi in love with Haven It was playing football, and going to college, and having a future It was forgiveness It was understanding It was all that rong suddenly becoodda it into wine It was Heaven It was bliss It was being blind for a lifeti able to see It was freedoned and wha world peace

"What is this shit?" Car his nose absently as he eyed the relistened like flecks of glitter under the club lights, htened, the notes of theacross his flushed skin before sinking in

He wasn’t sure why, but he suddenly yearned to play the piano again

"I told you--Molly," Remy replied "Pure powder MDMA"

Carrace his lips in ratitude Molly was beautiful She was ecstasy

Literally

He had heard of it, of course,taken in pill form, but he had never encountered it before Ecstasy hadn’t yet infiltrated his s cities

"So how do you feel?" Remy asked "Still numb?"

Carmine shook his head Nu within hi hole as it wiped away the pain, the ache, the heartbreak "I feel like I could take on the world and actually fucking win"

Relass of rum and Coke and drank the last bit "Yeah, well, you can’t The world will still destroy you,stupidnot if you wanna live to see another day"

Standing, Rey filled with the glittery white powder He dropped it on the table in front of Caroes a long way"

Car it in his palm "Thanks"

"Don’t"Seriously, please don’t mention it, man I’d rather people not know, you know"

"I understand," Car down at the packet stashed in his hand Their bosses frowned upon drugs The es off the record to a trade It was too dangerous--too many people involved, too much publicity, too est rules, second only to keep your fucking mouth shut and never rat on your friends

22

The tan rectangular building stood on the corner of a quiet intersection, spanning nearly half a city block The outside was n along the front displaying THE ROSEWOOD HALL in casual script

Car flashier He always took Tess to be the kind ould deold-plated dance floor at a re hall in the lanced down at his invitation oncehe had the right place before shoving it in the pocket of his black slacks He watched in silence as the lot filled with cars, surprised at the anize half the guests, which unnerved him Everyone had moved on with life, met new people, and made new friends, but he was just himstill the same Carmine DeMarco

That was how it see felt different He was back to being that teenage boy, all alone with no one to talk to--no one to confide in Instead, he buried everything deep inside, concealing secrets and hiding the truth froh reality, refusing to accept half of it was his life

It was a nice day in Chicago, the terees, but sweat unco his back and , although he knew he shouldn’t He couldn’t He had disappointed a lot of people in his life, made plenty of fucked-up choices at the drop of a hat, but bailing on his only brother’s wedding would certainly top the list

Even if that brother probably didn’t care if he showed up

Sighing, Car The hot liquid burned his throat, the fla away at his chest He took another drink when so hi as he put the lid back on it

"What?" he rasped as Celia approached

"Was it necessary to bring that along?" she asked,toward the flask

He rolled his eyes as he slipped the flask away "Is your husband here?"

"No, I haven’t heard fro to make it"

Carmine’s stomach sunk "Is he still with her?"

"Who?"