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"There," she says

I look down at it I look up at her

"I have to tell you so

I tell her about Nathan I tell her about Poole I tell her I ht be a way to stay in a body longer Theredown I a too much time It’s almost eleven when I’m done

"So you can stay?" she asks when I’ you can stay?"

"Yes," I answer "And no"

When first love ends, most people eventually know there will be h with love Love is not through with them It will never be the same as the first, but it will be better in different ways

I have no such consolation This is why I cling so hard This is why this is so hard

"There ht be a way to stay," I tell her "But I can’t I’ll never be able to stay"

Murder When it all comes down to it, it would be murder to stay No love can outbalance that

Rhiannon pulls away from me Stands up Turns on me

"You can’t do this!" she yells "You can’t swoop in, bring ive me all this--and then say it can’t work That’s cruel, A Cruel"

"I know," I say "That’s why this is a first date That’s why this is the first time we’ve everelse?"

I stand up Walk over Wrap my arms around her At first she resists, wants to pull away But then she gives in

"He’s a good guy," I say, my voice a broken whisper I don’t want to do this, but I have to do this "He uy And today’s the day you firstin the bookstore He’s going to remember the first time he saw you, and hoas drawn to you, not just because you’re beautiful, but because he could see your strength He could see how much you want to be a part of the world He’ll re He’ll re you if you wanted to do so hi about here, and wanting to show it to you The grocery store, the stories in the aisles, the first time you saw his roole thing His pulse is my heartbeat The pulse is the same I knoill understand you You have the same kind of heart"

"But what about you?" Rhiannon asks, her voice breaking, too

"You’ll find the things in him that you find in me," I tell her "Without the complications"

"I can’t just switch like that"

"I know He’ll have to prove it to you Every day, he’ll have to prove he’s worthy of you And if he doesn’t, that’s it But I think he will"

"Why are you doing this?"