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It’s an illusion A memory that should be faded and not Technicolor It’s of a wo up residence in my conscience like that

I force myself to text back to Michelle Can you fly in to a team party but I’ll clear everyone out early

I ith a feeling of anxiety for her response, praying she accepts Hoping she will show up onsexy ain like that My heartbeat is racing in anticipation, and when her reply comes, I’m stunned at how I feel

Can’t this weekend Butrelief that she’s not co on withon ht No business She should be nothing to me other than a friendly acquaintance

And yet, I still find et to Dave’s

--

I glance at ain

It’s 10:45 pm and Vale still hasn’t shown up I’ve resolutely refused to ask Dave about her whereabouts, and besides, he fell asleep in his recliner going on two hours ago That happened not long after we ate some chicken tortilla soup that Vale had ht hiame is almost over and I’ll have no reason to stay when it’s done This sucks, because I’ so late Does she even get to eat dinner?

My heart about lurches out of hter on the couch, prepared to see a probably exhausted Vale walk through the door

Instead, a radiant woman walks in A different Vale than I’ve seen in her tidy Cold Fury AT unifor, loose, and curled into soft waves She’s wearing ray striped cotton skirt that flutters around her knees and a white T-shirt, but she looks utterly feminine and sexy Her head twists over her shoulder to look at sohs "That’s so not true I’ll make you pay for that"

And then I see aback at her with utter devotion in his eyes She twists back to face us and her eyes iuy runs into her back His hands co her over, and I have a sudden rush of hatred toward this guy I want to rip his hands away and break every finger…at least twice