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Tomorrow FanLand will close down for the season I haven’t been back to FanLand except for once, with Sarah and Maddie Snow I couldn’t stand the way that everyone greeted entle reverence, as if I were an ancient artifact that rate if mishandled Even Princess was nice towhether I’d be up for helping to the end-of-the-season FanLand pizza party So far, I haven’t responded

Parker uses his feet toEvery tiether "How’ve you been?" he asks His voice has turned quiet

I tuck my hands in my sleeves He smells the same as always, and I’m half-tempted to bury my head in his neck, and half-tempted to run "Okay," I say "Better"

"Good" He looks away The sun has started to sink, pinwheeling golden arh the trees "I’ve been worried about you"

"Yeah, well, I’ wrong Worried is what parents and shrinks say Worried is why I didn’t want to see Parker before he left for New York, and why I didn’t respond to any of the es he’s sent me since he arrived at school But Parker looks so hurt, I add, "How’s New York?"

He thinks about it for a h a little "And there are definitely rats, although so far none of them have attacked me" He pauses "Dara would have loved it"

The na across the sun Just like that, I feel cold Parker picks at a bit of deni at his knee

"Look," he says carefully "I’ve been wanting to talk to you about what happened this summer" He clears his throat "About what happened between" He ticks a finger back and forth between us

"Okay" I wish, now, that I hadn’t come Every second, I expect to hear him say it: It was a mistake I just want to be friends

I’m worried about you, Nick

"Do you--?" He hesitates His voice is so quiet I have no choice but to lean in to hear him "I mean, do you remember?"