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I freeze "That is where you would be couilty?" he asks "Of what?" His blue eyes narrow

"Of trusting the wrong person," I say quietly

"I don’t want you to trust me," he says "I want you to be very, very wary of h ht with et me to trust them

"I don’t even trustat first, but he’s dead serious

"Why not?" I whisper

"I’m not trustworthy," he says quietly

I pull a lock of hair from where it’s stuck to my mouth and lick my lips He watches me closely "I promise not to trust you," I whisper

"Good," he whispers back, very dramatically

We arrive atway," I say, trying to sound like Scarlett O’Hara "I never would have rins "My job here is done"

"Good night," I say

He closes one eye and looks at me with the other for a moment "Can I kiss you yet?" he asks

I shake ain "No," I whisper "I’rins

"I’d be disappointed if you didn’t," I admit He smiles This tier and confidence

He turns to walk away, calling, "Good night, princess," over his shoulder

"’Night," I toss back I look up and see ripe, as he opens the back door for oes to lie at his feet

I nod "That was Pete"

He gnaws on his fingernail "Should I be worried?" he asks

I shake my head "I don’t think so"

"Okay," he breathes, and he deflates like a relaxed balloon He leans forward, pulling ht," he says, kissing oes upstairs I look out the kitchenat the first man I have ever truly wanted to kiss But I can’t I just can’t I know this is going to end badly

Reagan

Soht of my memories draped over hs et out of bed But today, I blink ertips andup with screams trapped in my throat

Today, I wake up…hopeful I don’t even know if that’s the right word for it It kind of feels like Christ The one you experience even after you know Santa’s not real, but you anticipate the wars that come with the holiday You rip open your presents and watch your parents exchange gifts thattoday And I’irls were here for caiddy because of the here, so I don’t think it’s the camp that made me want to rush outside today It’s Pete And I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to like him as much as I do

In a perfect world, I could date him But my world’s not perfect And it hasn’t been for quite soet dressed and pullwith the horses today before it gets too hot The boys love to take short rides around the paddock Some of these kids have never been on a horse before

I walk outside, and I can s a catering service, but he really likes cooking for the kids, and it seems to work better when he throws sourt,for every kid, even with some of the boys’ bizarre dietary restrictions

The ht now, and they’re doing a good job at it Pete’s working in thewith others He’s really good with the adolescents Gonzo says so to him, and I see Pete hold up his hand to block everyone else frohs, and I force myself to close my jaw

Pete looks over and catches , princess," he says quietly, his voice lazy and unco about thisthat’s not co," I say back I squeeze Gonzo’s shoulder as I walk by hirins and signs so to Pete "What did he say?" I ask Pete

"You don’t want to know," Pete says with a grilares at Gonzo "Watch your s his head That’s the first time I’ve heard Pete call hiet a fork for one of the other boys He’s still glaring at Gonzo, and now I’ to knohat he said to earn such disfavor fro back and forth between the at Gonzo from beneath lowered lashes Pete reaches for a salt shaker for another of the boys "Which wasn’t a quickly to Pete "I know that wasinto Gonzo’s eyes "But she’s sitting right here, and it’s rude to talk in front of her unless I can tell her what you said" He gru and then says, "And I wouldn’t repeat what you just said for awhat the fuck "You don’t talk like that in front of girls, dude" He jabs a fork at Gonzo "When we’re alone, you can talk all the shit you want And it ht even be funny"

Gonzo tapswith his fist close to his chest The color on his cheeks is high

"He said sorry," Pete gru else and then blinks his eyes at ive him"

"I’ll think about it," I say I still don’t knohat he said, so I don’t knohy I should be offended But Pete’s so serious that I feel like I need to play along

"Gonzo, go ahead and get suctioned or whatever it is you do so we can be ready for the first activity," Pete says