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"We’ll keep trying I’ll call, too"

"Thanks" I lean forward and take herI can think to do

When we co anywhere except on me "Listen I know you didn’t want to talk about it last night, but I think we should Or you should think about going to see your dad You can probably get a lot of closure if--"

"No" I shake ives me a lump in my throat Makes a fist squeeze the breath out of me "I can’t I know it’s stupid, but I just can’t"

Priscilla grabs onto me when I try to pull away "It’s not stupid, Jaden It’s a big deal I get it"

Man this girl is awesoet it Why she chose me Why she’d want me, but I’h ers

"For what?" she asks, confusion in her voice

"For you" I’low in her eyes makes me wonder if ht have been perfect

"Coether with hers "Let’s be the ones to knock on their door this tiet our friends

Ti incredible I’ve never seen anything like it Even Sebastian is speechless which says a lot because he has a bigto say

I don’t even knohat it is about the place I mean, there’s stores there, but there are stores everywhere Pubs and bars we’d all do anything to get into Museums and theaters Priscilla can’t keep her eyes off I can’t get my eyes off her

Sebastian’s hands latched with Aspen’s andto take it all in

This is going to sound totally lame, but I suddenly feel small Not in a bad way, but in a normal way Like I’m just this person like everyone else and my problems feel so ht really be able to lose all et lost in the sea of people and lights and activity If Priscilla can help ht?

"This is so kickass," Sebastian finally finds his voice

"For sure," I add

We go into ato thehts pink and it’s seriously hot When Sebastian breaks into a dance it’s tooyourself You can’t dance for shit"

"You’re just jealous of my mad skills"

The words are hardly out of his uys are so e down another row Priscilla is right behind her

"Aspen! Priscilla! Wait for us!" I tease loudly A few people are looking at us and they’re trying to get away

By the ti way too many dirty looks from people and decide tolike crazy as we spill onto the street

Next we have ice cream Priscilla takes forever to choose and finally I slipyou so long? We know you’re going to get strawberry like you always do"

Her Spanish accent is heavy when she says, "And you’re just going to get chocolate right?"

I s in the world to be happy about, but then I realize she won’t care Hell, she’ll probably like it too, so I lean forward, ht next to her ear "Check us out We’re one of those couples who can order each other’s ice cream and finish each other’s sentence We’re the shit"

I’h to press her lips to h of that, you two There are children present" Sebastian tries to pull us apart

"Quit ot with Aspen last year and you guys gave us so much shit?" He looks back and forth between the two of us "Well, payback is a bitch"

We ignore him I press a kiss to Pris’ neck just to show him up

We eat our ice cream and walk around some more Really, it’s just cool to be here Cool to be here with theo back to our room, I realize this is the only place I should be Actually it doesn’t even have to by New York It can be anywhere I just need the people who are here withto believe it ht really stay that way

Chapter Seventeen

We’re at breakfast the nextinside me turns to ice I don’t knohy It’s justnue to puke

My hands fuht up on the screen I have to s the bile in my throat as I push out of the chair and put the phone to ?" I ask The words makewrong because she’s calling me She’s my mom and she’s supposed to want to talk to me

Too bad that’s not the way it is

A sob pierces ht I felt cold before, it’s nothing coht now

"Ja--den," she cries "Mike"