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"I have a funny story about your dad," John says, looking at roan "Oh no What did he do?"

"It wasn’t hi"

I rub ether in anticipation

"So, I went over to your house to ask you to eighth grade forant plan"

"You never asked oing to let ant plan," I proathered a bunch of sticks and soed them into the letters FORMAL? in front of yourBut your dad caht I was going around cleaning people’s yards He gave me ten bucks, and I lost h "Ican’t believe you did that" I can’t believe that this almost happened tolike that forboys, not once has a boy liked me back at the sa after a boy, and that was fine, that was safe But this is new Or old Old and new, because it’s the first tirade," John says, and that’s when I reret was not asking me to formal, how elated I hen he said it, and then how he quickly backtracked and said he was only joking

The school bus pulls up then "Showtiet off the bus--I see Gabe, Darrell, no Peter yet But then the last person gets off the bus and still no Peter "That’s weird"

"Could he have driven his own car?" John asks

I shakeand text hi, I know it Peter never aht back," I tell John, and I ju up I find Gabe on the sideline lacing his cleats I call out, "Gabe!"

He looks up, surprised "Large! What’s up?"

Breathlessly I ask hi the back of his neck "He told Coach he had a fait Kavinsky wouldn’tback to the car As soon as I’m in, I pant, "Can you drive me to Peter’s?"

I see her car first Parked on the street in front of his house The next thing I see is the two of theether on the street for all to see He has his ar in to him like she can’t stand on her oo feet Her face is buried in his chest He is saying so her hair tenderly

It all happens in the span of seconds, but it feels like tih water I think I stop breathing;around me blurs How many times have I seen them stand just like that? Too many to count