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There was no one else outside Just me and Vivvie and the boy on the roof I stepped past Vivvie, wondering what he was doing up there Wondering if he was going to juet someone," I told Vivvie

The boy held his hands out to either side

"What are you going to do?" Vivvie asked me

I took a step toward the chapel "I don’t know"

The door to the chapel roof was propped open and h it One more ladder, and I was on the roof

The boy was still standing at the edge I could only see the back of his head He had auburn hair--a deep, rich red that girls would have killed for, but that looked strange, so just a few feet away fro to you," the boy said without turning around I took a step forward He lifted one foot off the roof and held it out--nothing but air and the ground below

"It’s notmy way out toward him The roof was steeper the farther out I went

The boy glanced back "I’ around the corners of his lips "In case you ondering"

I ondering what this guy was doing on the roof of the chapel--because suddenly, I was certain that he wasn’t here to juht be," the boy continued "AndAnd the fact that I took up Irish folk dancing for teeks when I was fourteen" He sighed "It was a beautiful teeks Kathleen and I were very happy"

"Kathleen?" I asked

"Girlfriend number seventeen," the boy replied "Before Sophie and after Sarah"

"You’d had seventeen girlfriends by the time you were fourteen?" I asked

"The ladies," he replied with a shrug "They loveon one leg on the roof of a chapel You’re not char You’re an idiot"

"Tell

"I think you should coe of the roof before a teacher sees you," I told hie of the roof "Too late, fair lady That ship has sailed and sailed again"

I rolled ht he needed help--but clearly, what he really needed was a swift kick Given that we’d ated to be the one who delivered it He could do the hokey pokey up here for all I cared

As I hit the top of the stairs, he fell in beside rin still on his face

"You’re new," he said

I didn’t reply I’d ain,the view"