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"Jay, wake up Are you hungry?"

Clouds are trying to part in my head at the sound of Priscilla’s voice Man, I must have really passed out My eyes open and she’s standing at ht

"We stopped to eat You want so?"

"Yeah I’m starved" We didn’t eat breakfast before we left this

They stopped at some hole-in-the-wall diner that looks like it ca because we’re in the boonies and there’s nowhere else to go

Priscilla scoots back and I get out of the car and stretch, before walking with her Once we get inside I realize I really need to take a leak My mouth is all dry and cottony, too Priscilla starts to head over to Bastian and Aspen who are sitting in a corner booth, when I stop her "I’et back, will you grab uess" She winks at irl winks

I do my business and then washit will helpback to the table when I see Priscilla halfway across the room from our table, with the waitress It looks like she had to run to catch up with her or so

"Umm, excuse me I was on the phone and my friend accidentally ordered a Pepsi for my other friend, but he likes Cherry Pepsi Is it too late to change that?"

I start to step around the corner to tell her it’s not a big deal I like Cherry Pepsi better, but I can drink anything But it kind of is a big deal Which, yeah, I know It’s lame Who cares what kind of soda it is, but that’s not the point What matters is she knohat I prefer That she left the table to talk to the waitress so I would have the kind of freaking soda I want Not because she had to or because I asked for a specific kind or any of the other billion reasons soated for She just did itfor me Just because she wantsdeal

So I stay ducked around the corner and let her finish talking to the waitress and then I watch her head back over to the table and sit down before I head that way, too Plopping down beside her in the booth, I look around the table and say, "Please tell et me a Cherry Pepsi"

"Umm, yeah I did" Priscilla alh I didn’t co of s when you don’t really have to say them at all

Honestly? We don’t really have a ton of stuff planned in Salt Lake There are two things we really want to do Sebastian is deter down the Provo River He thinks it will earn hie or anything, but we’ve heard it’s a good ti is we’re supposed to eat at this place called Café Rio Priscilla and her family eat there when they co skiing in the winter Yep, she has a place in Salt Lake Which, in the grand sche a deal, but also, she has a second house in Salt Lake And we’re staying there Should be a good ti to her, theySounds strange to me, but she says it’s the best place to eat Mexican food while you’re here

Once we get into toe head to the house first It’s seriously huge Probably three of my houses It’s never really bothered irls who flaunts it Priscilla couldn’t honestly give a shit about her parents’ money, but since I’ve been on a poor- about how her dad looked at me at the police station all beat up and pierced and then the fact that they obviously didn’t want raduation party and suddenly Mike’s words start trying to push their way into ain Into our trip when I don’t want that bastard anywhere near us

Not that I’bystuff in Spanish

"Why do you do that when you know I have no clue what you’re saying?" I sound pissy now even though I know I shouldn’t

She and I are in the kitchen and I’m not sure where the others snuck away to I’m pretty sure they’re locked in a rooh

"I do it because I don’t want you to knohat I’s "Or as it typically goes, both at the sa that shohole lot of skin I’m not sure if I want to thank God or pry my eyes out because it sucks to be able to see and not touch

"What did I do?"

"Dios," she sounds frustrated now Priscilla leans over the counter that separates us Her head is in her hands, her elbows on the counter the way I just was "Because you’re getting upset, or thinking about so that bothers you, that you’ll pretend isn’t a big deal and never tell us, because ould Jaden need his friends?"

For a second, I’m stunned I want to tell her I’m not like that, but we both know I a psychic, because how else would she knohat I was thinking? And, third, let’s get back to the stunned part because Priscilla has never really been one to keep things in, but first her adht and now this? She’s usually not quite so open I’uys," is what couys? Could I sound any lass out of the cabinet, before filling it ater

Leave it alone, Jay She’s letting you off the hook Instead, my word vomit continues when I ask, "What do you mean, okay? That means you don’t believe ht now What’s wrong withI have no idea hoe got on this road anymore and I’et the hell off

"What were you thinking about, Jaden?"

How my dad isn’t my dad That he’s told me all my life I’m a piece of shit Oh, and you’re the opposite of that "Nothing"

She shakes her head "Point proven One for me, zero for you I know you need us, but I also know you’ll never lettootherwise"

I groan, really not in the o? You never showedin"

Another head shake And, yeah, another point for her