Page 59 (1/2)

There was a photo sitting on top Normally it would have been a Senior picture, but Alex had never got around to doing those Instead, it was a candid shot, obviously taken fro frootten how beautiful he hen he was like that

I stretched out oodbyes, but the words got stuck in hts and emotions in chaos I kneas ione Yet I was certain, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the casket was e doould have collapsed

I was so absorbed in er alone

"He was in love with you, you know" Ashley Johnson earing what Iʼm sure passed as appropriate funeral clothes in her book - a black lasses "Heʼs looking at you in that picture Normally he looked so bored, but the moment you were around he lit up like the Fourth of July" She swatted her hand at a tear that trickled down frolasses "God, Iʼ to ? I wanted her to go away so that I could think

"I took that picture," she said with a tear saturated voice "I took lots of theht no one atching Pictures of you sneaking off into closets and empty classrooms

"Do you kno hard it is to live in your shado hard it is to look at your perfect farades and know that nothing in my life will ever live up to that? You have always had everything and then you took hi Mandarin What was she prattling on about? And ould she think that I cared? I needed her to leaveaway froather proof Jase would have never believed ht He hates ave Jase the pictures and told hiht He was livid He started ra about full moons and suicide attempts and God only knohat else Charlie, however, was coave o have inappropriate relations withher flawlessly made-up face "When Tinsley called to tell ency rooh, loud enough that several people turned to look at her "I thought Jase had cohtI thought you two had gotten into a fight, a real knock-down, drag-out fight with all of your karate kicks and judo chops I iined you with a black eye, maybe a broken arh the night, and I kneasnʼt Jase, but still I felt so guilty Like it was my fault that coyote attacked you"

I had to be emotionally nury or horrified or pity or any e at all

"Re atmy hair back every ti off the snot that ran out of her nose "You were a good friend, and I screwed it up I miss you"

I couldnʼt even pretend to feel the saether?"

"Theyʼre still in the Gucci clutch I took to pro looked rimace "I donʼt have any pictures of him"

"Of course! Iʼll even put the about Ashley was that she was easy to coed by my request, our friendship restored in her e ain tomorrow, but for now she was pacified