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Chapter one
It’s h on Vicodin, but that guy – that guy right over there – that’s hi dreaht, nose an inch from the tip of his pen Absorbed My heart swells with a painful sort of euphoria He’s close, only two tables over and facingThe atmosphere is clouded with bittersweet coffee Three years of desire rip through my body and burst fro ti time, he just stares at me And then…he blinks "Isla?"
"You know my name You can pronounce my name" Most people call me Iz-la, but I’m Eye-la Island without the nd I erupt into a slances around, as if searching for someone, and then cautiously sets down his pen "Uh, yeah We’ve sat beside each other in a ton of classes"
"Five classes beside each other, twelve classes together total"
A pause
"Right," he says slowly Another pause "Are you okay?"
A guy who looks like a young Abrahae la soft, please"
Abe scratches his beard, weary
"But no to, or raspberry applesauce That’s all I’ve had to eat today," I add
"Ah" Abe’s ain "Whatever" He snatches up the etarian?"
"Huh?"
"I’ll have a look in the kitchen" And he stalks away
My gaze returns to Josh, who is still watching me He looks down at his sketchbook, and then back up, and then back down Like he can’t decide if we’re still having a conversation I look down, too I’ notion that if I keep talking, toret
But…as if I can’t help it – because I can’t, not when I’lance up My veins throb as , beautiful nose His slender, assured arms His pale skin is a few shades darker from the summer sun, and his black tattoo peeks out from underneath his T-shirt sleeve
Joshua Wasserstein My crush on hiain, too, and I blush Blushing The curse of redheads everywhere I’e, you know? That we’ve never run into each other before"
I leap in "Do you coets with his pen "I meant in the city? I knew you lived on the Upper West, but I’ve never seen you around"
My chest tightens I knew that about him, but I had no idea that he knew that aboutschool for Americans in Paris, but we spend our breaks in Manhattan Everybody knows that Josh lives here, because his father has one of the New York seats in the United States Senate But there’s no reason for anyone to reet out often," I blurt "But I’ to eat at ho into the eainst his tabletop "My wisdo all of these medications, but my mouth is still sore so that’s why I can only eat soft foods"
Josh breaks into his first smile