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I took a shower and spent extra tithe urge to stay holed up inoutside… out there I could understand why Ryan hid in his hotel room

I put on my best jeans and my black low ankle boots with the chunkier two-inch heel – just in case I needed to run – and lasses I counted the money Ryan had left for me - one hundred and twenty dollars – and put it in my purse Grocery list, purse, bank deposit, keys, cell phone… bravery? Where did I leave uts? Don’t let them decide for you, you can do this

I paused by the back door, fixed the alarm, took a deep breath, and stepped out into the alley That’s when the ca me questions the entire way down the alley I didn’t answer; I keptto my car At one point I found that I was al about so else

I made sure to look like the love notes that were stuffed under my windshield wiper for Ryan didn’t bother me I even think I smiled once I patted theer seat of irlfriend would be considerate enough to pass their love notes on to him? Surely they had to know this was ot into a fight that heto their arms? Like these notes were somehow entry tickets to the Ryan Christensen lottery and the lucky winner would be chosen randomly from the stack? What the hell was in all of their heads?

I knew exactly why he broke down yesterday; these people were loose on the streets My mind flashed back to the old zombie movies and I pictured that Ryan and I were the only ones not turned into ram my music selection Ah, there it is – I knew I had it, "Zombie" by The Cranberries I smiled, turned the volume up, and put my car into reverse Take a picture of that

Since I had a large amount of cash on me froenda I stood in the s for the next available teller;placed her ‘ closed’ sign on the countertop

Justwith soh school with - Michele Weeks, another downside to living in a s in line and suddenly she was sirl never said h school and now she was grinning at -lost friends Why would she talk toout with the normal kids who didn’t think they were better than everyone else

Back then she was the head cheerleader, dating one of the three nant right after graduation Now she was the head teller at hed inside; funny how she always had the terreeted me "How are you?"

Like you really care

"Good, thanks! Deposit please," I said, sliding the rubber banded stack of cash and my deposit slip toward her

She took my money below the counter and typed onto her coto ask her burning question

"Taryn, please tell me Is it true?" she whispered her plea to me Her eyes scanned back and forth for eavesdroppers "Are you really dating Ryan Christensen?"

Wonderful, another freaking nosey fan A few shas ,’ but I kept ed "I won’t say anything!"

"That’s good to know" I leaned into the counter a few inches further, lanced from side to side to pique her interest, and then I dropped the bomb "Neither will I"

Her smile morphed into a frown in an instant, and she shifted her focus to angrily count my deposit She slid the deposit receipt towards me

"Have a nice day," she droned I could tell she didn’t really mean it

I decided to drive out of Seaport and into the next town to doabout putting distance between e hardware store chains and another thought dawned on et copies of et a better understanding of just how much I wanted him with me