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"Bobby said he’d kill the footage It won’t go in the documentary" He took Brooke’s vacated seat

"Do you trust him?" Penna asked

"I don’t think we have th of the area rug "She won’t want it in there, but she signed a release, so we don’t have much recourse if he chooses to"

Landon shook his head "So the that this was the only way to give Nick a future where he could stand on his own If we can’t pull this off, then it was all for nothing You guys knohat this means to him It’s all he has," I said

"I e could tell people that," Penna added softly

"Yeah, well, we can’t," Landon said "So this is e’re stuck with"

The silence that descended was thick withhim, that he, of all people, should be on this trip

"When she fell…" I said softly

"Flashbacks?" Penna asked

I nodded I’d never flown across a half-pipe faster inhis hands over his face "She’s going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Penna answered

"She’s still awake," Brooke said as she cah, so if you want to see her, you’d better be quick I’ll catch you guys toh the back door

"Go on," Penna urgedwith the need to put"I’ood idea"

"You like her," Landon said, as if it could be that si it would somehow free me

"Fuck," he irl you touch I know it’s not intentional, but it happens, and this girl…"

"I know," I said louder than I’d intended "But asyour pers under her "She’s a great girl, and exactly what you need"

"Sure, but for how long?" Landon argued "Until he gets bored with her and then he’s lost his tutor? Then what do we do? Find another one who isn’t already booked and is willing to sign all the o, Landon would have agreed with Penna, championed a new relationship But this new jaded version of my best friend hat I was stuck with--what I’d created

"This isn’t up for debate," I snapped "And besides, I said I like her, I didn’t say I was going to act on it"

"Well, if it was up for a vote, Leah has mine," Penna said "We’re a family, and ays have been, but I think we all know that there’s ades"

Landon looked froht Okay Just…be careful"