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"Nick," he whispers

All at once,backward, buainst the"What did you say?"

"What?" He reaches for ain, and I swat his hand away "What’s the ?"

"You called me byI’ve been trying to deny--that horrible, deep-down feeling that all along I was never good enough, could never be good enough--now surges up, like a monster made to s up all my happiness

He stares at me, then shakes his head, slowly at first, and then with increasing speed, as if he’s working up momentuuilt flash across his face, and I know that I’ht, that he did "No way I would never--that’s fucked-up--I mean, ould I--?"

"You did I heard you" I shove out of the car and slaer caring whether I wake anyone up

He doesn’t love , he’s loved her

I was just the consolation prize

"Wait Seriously, stop Wait"

He’s out of the car now, trying to intercept rabsover on oes all the way up toit Parker stands there, watching uilt "Leave me alone, okay? If you love me so much, if you care about me at all, just do me a favor Leave me the hell alone"

To Parker’s credit, he does He doesn’t follow ain And once I’ deep, heaving breaths to try and keep the sobs back, I see that he doesn’t even wait that long before disappearing again

BEFORE

FEBRUARY 16

Nick

"Tell htly--"what ti home?"

He’s"Don’t"

"Please," he says "It’s so sexy when you say it"