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"Of course, yeah Go Good to see you" I wave hi fountain

"And--" he says in a s to be working Valentine’s Day anyway I’ll be at the dance So, you knohatever that thing is you’re worried about, well, you don’t need to worry anymore, ’cause it’s cool"

I stare at the strea except the fact that this is ood-bye with hireat"

He hesitates and then starts walking away, and I’ myself because this isn’t hoant it to end Not like this at all These words of sheer idiocy cannot be our last words

I let go of the spigot and stand up "Hey, Sawyer?"

He stops and turns back, and the fake shit is gone froether and threadmy hands up tobreaks inside "It’s okay," I say, nodding, and I can feelanyway "It’s okay that you don’t believe me I’ll leave you alone now I really do love you, like I said the otherthat one time The other day I just want you to know that"

He stands there, his face stricken and real, and falling He opens his ain, and pain I’ve never seen before washes across it He nods once, says, "Okay, thanks," and then he turns away and walks slowly toward the cafeteria, ripping his fingers through his hair as he goes

Thirty

When he’s out of sight, I go the other way on numb, stupid feet, all the way towhat to do with myself now I open a book and there are no words, only scenes screa I can do today anyo away I can’t see hiain

There are two periods left infor Rowan to coht now

I grab et any studying done this weekend, and head out to the truck There’s a teacher on rat patrol at the entrance, and I walk right by hiot o Worked like a charm then, and it does now, too He doesn’t even try to stop

I walk to the truck, the cold flakes kissingof the snow that I see in the vision, I think The beginning of the end Thirty hours to go I get into the truck and start it up, letting it run for a few , sit back to wait for the weather report on the radio, and closeto shut that restaurant down and save nine people’s lives

And thenopen, and it finally hitsto be there He’s going to the dance