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"No I’m not, I just… I don’t want to talk about hiht"

"And then we’ll go get falling down drunk" Lacey declares "And eat our weight in ice-cream No, scratch that, this calls for the serious shit Gelato!"

"Sounds good to ht of a petite figure ahead oftowardsand braced against the winds, wearing a thin hoodie pulled up over her head, and a short skirt with high-heeled boots, like she wasn’t planning to be out walking As I drive past, I catch a glimpse of her face: it’s E past her

"What is it?" Lacey de, it’s raining pretty hard I’ll call you back later, OK?"

"OK, Love you"

I hang up, and then carefully pull a wide U-turn on the wet highway I drive back the way I’ve just co my n as I approach her

"Hey, are you OK?" I call "You need a ride?"

Brit turns, her kohl-ri "Nope!" She yells back, and keeps walking

I cruise along beside her at a snail’s pace "Coue "Can’t you see, a storm’s about to hit?"

"Don’t care!" Brit calls back

This is ridiculous

"You seriously hate et pneumonia, just to prove a point?" I deot there"

"I don’t need your help" Brit spits back

"Uh, look around," I point out "There’s nobody else for h I want to turn around, and head out of this godforsaken town as fast as the Camaro will take hway, I can’t bear to leave her "Colare at ust of wind blows in from the ocean, and Brit shudders Her pale skin looks scarily white, and she’s clearly freezing to death out there "That’s it," I decide, putting on the brakes so the car cooddaer door and yanks it open, sliding into the car and sla it shut behind her

Up close, I can see she’s shivering so hard her whole body shakes

"Jesus, are you crazy?" I put the heater on full, and reach around to the backseat to find a thick college sweater I pass it to her, worried "What were you doing out there?"