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I step past hi--yet the tragic thing is it’s a brand new unit There are pizza boxes that have becoy and moldy all over the coffee table Beer bottles are strewn about, and there are clothes everywhere People are filling the couches, the kitchen and apparently the bedroo to find my brother

"He’s busy, Avery"

I turn and see Lia with his hand on his hips He’s a gorgeous ht so Kelly is a surfer, and he ot beach-blond hair that lightens at the tips It’s only short, but it has soft curls that give him the ideal look for the beach He’s olive, that beautiful kind of olive that h they’re al to help Liaives up, nocloser

Kelly reaches out, putting a hand on et a drink Sit outside, it’s nicer out there"

"How are you?" I ask

He seous di one"

"You’ll nail it" I smile

"What about you? How’s the dancing and the studying?"

"I’ht now"

He pulls ainst his He wraps his arh Kelly is Liam’s best friend, he’s always been extremely close to oes, Avery You have to fight for it"

"I’ainst his chest "I truly am"

He pulls back, and smiles down at me Without Kelly, there are times I’d have sunk He keeps me afloat We’ve been friends for about five years, and he’s h soot that beautiful kind of soul you don’t see often in people anyivesoff I shove h the people around until I reach the back door My brother’s unit is ugly as they coe he’s inflicted upon it, but the entire block share a dazzling courtyard I don’t knohy it’s so nice, but soht

I walk down the back steps and past a couple who are kissing so passionately I can see their tongues I shudder and walk into the arden chair I breathe in the fresh air, and wonder who and what Lia upstairs He turns to woet

It doesn’t work