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Getting in the Rover Jax got me, the Rover that up until that rateful for, I back out of the driveway, narrowly miss the car parked behind me, and then turn onto the street

I can’t recall ever feeling like I do right now, like I have just been stabbed in the chest, whichin Ashlyn’s drivehich is just a couple blocks away, I etto even out, so I don’t sound like I just ran a race

"Hey!" She s the door, then frohen she seesontoI want to tell her I like her brother waaay too much and that he was justit before I ran out of the house I want to ask her if this pain in my chest is normal, if I should feel this way for someone I hardly knoant to tell her all of this, but instead, I say, "Another girl was taken"

"Oh, no," she whispers, covering her oing to spend the day together, but do you mind if I take Hope early?"

"Of course" She nods as her cell phone begins to ring so towardme a pink kids’ ot for her

"So cool, Angel baby" I s Ashlyn frohen her house phone starts to ring

"Tell Ashlyn thank you, Angel," I tell Hope, leaning down and grabbing her bag that’s sitting right inside the door

"I’ain another tiet out of here

"Thanks, Aunty Ashwyn," Hope says, blowing her a kiss

"Bye, Princess Hope" Ashlyn smiles then looks over her shoulder when the phone that just went silent rings again

"You get that and we’ll see you soon," I tell her, but I can see in her eyes that she knows so on

"Are you sure you don’t want so me, I shake ently as I step away from the door, and I carry Hope to the backdoor of the Rover, put her in, andin behind the wheel and backing out of Ashlyn’s driveway

Looking at the house, I see Ashlyn standing in her open front door with the phone to her ear and a worried look in her eyes Giving a slight wave, I finish backing out and then try to figure out what the hell it is I’