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Another knock sounds and I concede that, nope,at the heht blue dress I still wore frolish classes I inhale and open the door to have a cool blast of San Francisco’s year-round chilly night air tease the loose strands ofbrunette hair that have fallen from the twist at my nape Thankfully, it also coolswith me? How has a journal affectedan invitation, Ella rushes pastcurls

"There it is," Ella says, snatching up her journal froht I’d left it here when I caht"

I shut the door, certain e that I no more about Ella’s sex life than I should I still don’t knohatWhat makes me, even noant to readI could pull back the lie the instant it’s issued I don’t like lies I’ve knownthey can be I really don’t like how easily this one slipped from my lips This is Ella, after all, who in the past year as er sister I’d never had Together we are the family neither of us have, or rather, neither of us wish to claiht out by nerves, and guilt, apparently "Long day of classes," I add, "and I had piles and piles of paperwork to finish up for the suh I had soreat kids I enjoyed" I purse h, only to find I can’t help but continue, "I only just got hooodness you have soht this over last night e’d planned to watch that chick flick together I wanted to read you a few of the entries But then David called, and you kno that went" Her lips tilted doard, guilt laden in her tone "I deserted you like a very bad friend"

David being her hot doctor boyfriend What David wanted froot Now, I know just how true that is I study Ella a moment With her dewy youthful skin, dressed in faded jeans and a purple tee, she looks like one of my students rather than a twenty-five year old teacher herself "I was tired anyway," I assure her, but I’m worried she’s over her head with this et to bed to be ready for today’s classes"

"Well they’re over now and yay for that" She indicates the journal "And I’ht" She wiggles an eyebrow "Foreplay David is going to love this This thing is scorching hot"

I gape in utter disbelief "You read hie to read a hts-–especially not about him "And it’s foreplay?"

Ella frowns "This isn’t ht It’s fro of su anything about the journal In fact, had she, I’ht The storage auctions you’ve been attending since you got obsessed with that Storage Wars show I still can’t believe people store their things and then default and let it go to the highest bidder"

"And yet they do," Ella says "And I’m not obsessed"

I arch a brow

"Okay,tosu to the next auction with ht around for big money" She holds up the journal "This caht and it’s the best yet It has artwork I know is going to sell for big bucks And so far I’ve found three journals that are absolutely spellbinding My gosh, I can’t see theot pulled into this dark passionate place that is terrifyingly exciting"

She’s right, and I can feel that burn in es I can al her story toabout that wo where she is, who she is

"OhYou read the journal, didn’t you?"

I blanch "What? I…" Suddenly, I can’t talk, and I’ a nonsensical reply I would norht now and I sink helplessly into an overstuffed brown chair across from Ella, stuck in the trap of my earlier lie "I…yes I read it"

Ella claireen eyes on me "Did you think I wrote that stuff?"

I cast her a tentative look "Well…"

"Whoa," she says, clearly taking ht…" She shakes her head "I’ood parts or there’s no way you would think she was ood parts"