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"You mean me?"

God, she’s direct Just like

I cut off that thought and focus on Nell

"Yes, I athered that"

"So, let er?"

She sits up in the swing, upsetting the balance, and I have to grab on to the ropes and pull back to bring the thing to a stop Before she can wiggle out of the tire, I circle around her I stand and grip the ropes, just as she gets herself to the edge, ready to ju my name out uncertainly It’s not how I’d like her to say my name, but it’s not quite an admonishment either It’s justhesitant

"This list is obviously so that matters to you, or you wouldn’t carry it with you You wouldn’t have brought it to a party, of all places" Soing you around She’s helping you with this list That’s why she warned you away from me She’s probably the one who irl, but Christ, does she like to tell other people what to do, how to behave--"

Nell pushes to her feet, her chest grazing mine before she jolts back "Dylan doesn’t know about the list And I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell her"

I frown Now, that is not what I expected

"Why doesn’t she know?"

Nell worries her bottom lip between her teeth, and God, her lips are already full enough without being swollen fro If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was doing this on purpose, trying to distractprivate, and you’re right Dylan can be very opinionated She swell, it’s more of an experiment for me, and experiments aren’t for an audience They’re for discovery"

"I promise I won’t tell Dylan" Her shoulders slump in relief just before I add, "If you’ll let me help"

"What? But I just told you this was private You’d be just as s I need to do alone"

"As I recall, there’s at least one thing on that list that can’t be done alone"

Her cheeks flush, and I’ with curiosity to knohat else is on the list What else oes ain Even if she doesn’t want to go skinny-dipping, I ht need o back to the party

She holds the spiral tighter to her chest and says, "It’s not just that I want to do this alone I want to be through my list before the semester ends in a month and a half It’s easier and faster to do this on ood a to do, too

"For you, sweetheart, I would make time"

"Some of the items on the list arethey’re of a personal nature, okay? And I don’t know you"

"You don’t know er?"

She lets out an exasperated sigh, but I can tell by the frantic clutching of her fingers around the spiral that she’s not just frustrated She’s downright terrified

"Listen" I take hold of her shoulders, stilling her nervousher to look atyou don’t want to And I proain I swear, okay? And I won’t tell Dylan or anyone else about it But I want you to swear that whenever it’s so you shouldn’t do aloneyou’ll call hters all the ti my arms trail down from her shoulders to her elbows