Page 7 (2/2)

I let ainst the back of the booth and close ht now A lot of people think Bastian’s all talk--that he doesn’t take things seriously or that he doesn’t really think about anyone but hi He’s seen a lot--had a lot of people co he’s always serious about is holding onto the people he doesn’t want to lose I feel like shit that I’ out the serious Sebastian

I don’t open ht now"

"Then tell ether yourself"

This ht, but it’s not like I can snap le word that’s been eet that I’m a screw up That Mom obviously couldn’t care less andsurprise! I don’t even knoho , and I don’t want everyone feeling sorry for roans "Then talk to someone or whatever I don’t know If you don’t wanna tell , but--"

"Pfft You have said so yourself, Pris has alished I would die a fiery death and I’s are double as bad now"

"Nah I used to think that was it, but it’s more than that and you and I both know it, man"

I don’t answer him, not sure how I really feel about what he says It’s easier to pretend things don’t exist than to talk about the on, you need to find a way to squash it, because we can’t keep going hoe are Last su went down and none of you guys were talking toall the way to Texas Do you really want to be out there knowing you left things like this?"

He’s right I know that and I feel like we keep going over and over the sa My fault? Yep, and I definitely don’t think I can keep going the way things are going right now It’s not fair to Pris To any of them, actually For once, I just want us to be Si to be cool, before things change in the exact way Bastian is talking about

I start to laugh Sebastian looks at ht

"What?"

"You actuallyyou knohat you’re talking about, you actually ht now It’s scary as hell"

Sebastian flips me off "Whatever I’ve always knownout at the arcade a little longer before heading back to the hotel Bastian texts Aspen to find out our roo in thetheir toenails My first thought is I sure hope they don’t expect me to share a bed with Sebastian He’s my boy and all, but there’s no way I plan to stay in the saht

Which is probably the stupidest thought I could have Like he won’t want to sleep with Aspen But then that leavesto die on this trip

"Took you guys long enough We’re starving" Aspen gives us a look that says Bastian is totally in trouble I look at Pris, the idiot inif I’ll see the sarab so, baby?" Bastian asks her

"Yeah" Aspen starts walking toward hi because of her wet toenails "And I’ I deserve an ice cream too Come on, Pris"

Pris looks up for the first time since alked in Her dark eyes skate overon Aspen and Bastian "I’m okay, actually I’m kind of tired I think I’ll stay"

I jerk forward as so ive him a dirty look Yeah, like I need hi too "Uet really hungry, but she doesn’t She just starts painting her nails again

"We’ll bring you guys back so toward the door Before they go out, Sebastian adds, "Don’t do anything I would do" Then, laughing, he sla?" I ask her

Her eyebrows rise Yeah, du out; I don’t knohat to say to her I don’t like it, not only because I should knohat to say to a girl, but I should knohat to say to this girl

"You want to go for a walk or soh she’s trying to tellwith the look, I have no idea what it is I’s and ets up and slips her feet into a pair of flip-flops She grabs the key card and slips it into the back pocket of her shorts and, again, she hasI’ve never wanted to be before At thisin the world

The street in front of the hotel is packed with businesses and shops Cars pass every few seconds Definitely not the best place to talk We stand out here for a few seconds and I already realize this was a stupid idea It may be after seven now, but we’re also in Nevada and it’s hot

Looking around, I reo around the corner and for once I get lucky because no one is there

"Come on" I nod my head toward the pool and she follows ate and she walks in Priscilla heads over to the far corner and I follow her

"It’s hot We can go back to the rooood" Still no eye contact froood, too We can put our feet in" But then I reht o back to the rooain "We should have stayed in the room"

Pris slips out of her shoes, sits down, and puts her feet in the water

"Come on, pretty boy Don’t tellup your nails?" For the first tiht sound stupid, but I ht Sebastian’s the one you have to worry about for stuff like that" I step out of ie shorts up so they’re abovemakes circles in the water

After who kno s have been kind of weird for a while"

Priscilla actually laughs "Weird? Yeah, you can say that I think it has to do with the fact that I was in love with you, thought you ot ain when I found out you’re leaving"