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Victory

Ian shook his hair into his face and crossed his arhtly "Addison Jane Bennett, if you are not back down here in fivefor you"

Rowan’s dimple dented his cheek "Better hurry, Addison Jane"

"Addison Jane Bennett B-ht As all the way"

I stumbled back into the doorway, hand toin July, and either I was hallucinating or Cubby Jones was standing inat ain, he was still there Only now he’d deployed the signature grin, one hand still on the fridge A lot had changed since the o all the way up to his eyes anyured out its power and was using it to his advantage Like now

"What are you doing here?" I ain, then pulled himself up onto the counter in an easy, athletic e the subject B-minus? What does your honor student brother think of that?"

"I bo at nonchalant "And you know report cards are confidential, right? Meant only for the person they’re addressed to" I atterip, but he held on to it tighter, pulling o And suddenly I elve years old again, in this very kitchen, looking into his eyes for the first ti that Cubby was different The memory must have hit him, too, because this ti to his eyes

"So"--he cleared his throat, lookingout for a run?"

I quickly crossedA ratty T-shirt and an ancient pair of volleyball shorts that were so short, I only wore the Pop-Tarts Or in this case, quick trips to the kitchen that resulted in running into time crush

Sometimes I hated my life

"No run I’et out of there but also desperate to stay "What are you doing here, Cubby?"

"No one calls htly

"Well, no one calls ed toward the hallway, the tile cold under s in led into a knot Why did I have to look so gross? Upstairs, the bathroo up your brother Coach called for an extra practice this , and Ian said you had the car today"

"We have joint custody," I said "This weekend it’s ly "But you ht? And that you both love hih burst out of me just as Ian appeared in the doorway His hair et fros froether He was the only person I kneho ever wore two hoodies at once How he ed to put the to put to rest for several years now

Cubby lifted his chin "Hey, Bennett"

Ian nodded at him sleepily, then squinted his eyes at me "Addie, why are you up so early?"

"I was on the phone with Lina" The tiet up really early if I wanted to talk to her

He looked at my pajamas and wrinkled his face I didn’t have to be a

"Bye, Addison" Cubby slook as he followed Ian out