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"Gavin… I… It’s E not to trip over the e up her throat "I don’t expect you to talk toa deep breath and exhaling slowly, she continued "Dillon diht that back to , I…" E away tears "I was scared you took her back, but I should’ve let you explain and I didn’t I’irl in this world you could’ve fallen in love with, you chose me I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when I should’ve, and it was me who broke your heart I love you, Gavin I know you’re the one who said you thought you loved me from the moment you saw me, but I know I loved you fro inside ainst it So s about you scared me at first, and then you showedthe raw e heavy on her heart, E against us, Gavin Please forgivefor us when I kneere supposed to be together Forgive … thank you for loving me Thank you for your dimpled smile and your bottle caps I’ll never be able to look at one without thinking of you Thank you for your stupid Yankees and your wiseass reht drives and sunset-watching with ood, the bad, and the in-between" Emily paused and shook her head, but before she could say another word, the voiceher that her tiot fro as she clenched her phone to her chest

CHAPTER TWO

In her twenty-four years of living, there were times when Emily would experience a nu out She allowed herher life at certain points These were times she welcomed it Breathed it in like the sweet smell of roses It was the type of numbness one could say ‘cleansed her’ However, as she sat at the coffee bar in Bella Lucina, tracing and retracing nu itself in her heart like a thick, su she didn’t want to feel

216 hours… of feeling dead

12,960lost

777,600 seconds… of feeling completely numb

Days upon days, her concentration, which seeether by strands of hope, was fading Lost Even while she slept, her erous because they reone He beca Ehts she was sure couldn’t be repaired, E he had loved her when she least deserved it No This wasn’t so she was prepared for, yet she knew she had to own every hour, ht table twelve another round of drinks for you," Fallon announced, sitting down next to Emily

With her head downcast, still immersed in the amount of time that’d passed since Gavin left, Emily didn’t answer

"They also ordered a pasta primavera for the ht her gaze up to Fallon’s, her face filled with confusion "Yeah They found him on the side of the road Apparently a circus ditched hi her hair into aabout a monkey?" Emily questioned, her voice puzzled "And when did you dye your hair blue?"

"Nope I didn’t mention a word about a monkey" Fallon quirked a brow, placed her elbows on the bar, and tucked her palms under her chin "It’s been blue for three days, and you’ve seen it already"

"Oh" E the nuot there?" Before Emily could answer, Fallon swiped the order pad "What are all of these nu" E, Fallon studied Emily’s face, her expression thick with concern "Country, I’ to be dark or dis yourself, right?"

Eyes wide in shock, Emily leaned back "Jesus, Fallon, do you honestly think I would do that?"