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Had that happened because we’d never learned to cope with sharing the sa any contact at all just made us more susceptible to a screw up of epic proportions?

Had we only made ourselves more sensitive to the other’s presence, e’d needed was to be desensitized?

Was it just possible that there was soround here? Some sort of closure to the romantic part of our relationship that I’d never pursued?

I had always thought of Tristan in ter, but clearly, that hadn’t worked That failure was currently staringdownsonificant part ofto me

It had stunted rowth

That was a fact I’d accepted long ago, in a resigned sort of way, seeing it as a necessary evil

But what if it wasn’t necessary? What if it was only detri so new

I’d been so focused on the bad of hiotten the good

I’d lived the bad, existed with it every waking hour of every day and soet a bit of the good?

What if, just maybe, I needed it?

What if it would helpwith hi-term romantic relationship was absolutely unthinkable But a friendship? Hadn’t I ive myself that s it I wasn’t even a little bit surprised when Frankieht We gave each other shit on a regular basis, but that little scene earlier was as good as a full-on confrontation for us

I’d known she was going to feel bad about it and quickly try towhen I returned to the party I’d have been surprised if it didn’t go until

I made my way quietly to h I’d cleaned up as well as I could in a hurry, I hadn’t showered I was planning to slip away and do that just as soon as I thought it was politely possible

Frankie joined within adown She was alone Al Estella was currently going to town as the dancing meat in a Stephan and Javier sandwich

"You reht?" I asked her as I ht that hot thing into your life"

She shot her longtilance "I know it" Her face cruhtly, not a breakdown, not tears, just screwed up a bit, as though she were in pain She looked away "You know I love you, right?"

It was my turn to look away We were close friends, but not the s like this were rarely said between us "I do I love you too You’re one of my closest friends, and I know that your heart is always in the right place"