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"I brought Cass’s car She has er door open forback She’s not sure what to do, and that’s okay I understand I pull er side and then reach over to collapse the chair for her

"You’ll need to get it in the trunk It’s not as heavy as it looks," I say, and she nods She struggles with it a little, but she doesn’t say anything I watch her in the rearview runts until my chair is in the trunk, and then she closes the heavy top

Cass’s car is hot It’s so I would drive And I bet she wanted to be the one to show it to me I only let , so that way she can take ain when she’s ready I bet she drives it fast

Paige drives it like a grandmother It takes her four attempts to back out of her spot, and she rides the break all the way down the turn-rah I could easily make herBut I don’t feel like joking around with Paige Our last conversation consisted of her tellingthe sa to her

"They can’tquiet

"H over her shoulder to switch lanes on the highway She drives this car like a boat It’s a little funny And scary

"Soccer Your parents can’ta little pressure on her so she gets my point

"That’s not up toin my direction

"It’s not up to theerfor the rest of the drive My first trip to California, and it’s too dark to see the beach Just oneI’ll save for Cass

The driveway is dark e pull in, and no one comes out to help "Cass is probably inside She’s a little wobbly on her legs Or at least, she was this afternoon," Paige says, popping the trunk andto the back of the car I hate that I have to depend on her right now

She es to work my chair out and unfold it so she can push it next to rabbing er side

I push the door closed and follow Paige up the driveway through the garage to a back door There’s a little bit of a lip, but I e to e yells, dropping her purse on top of the washing h the kitchen to a large living rooantic television and fireplace Cass sits up quickly and looks at me over the back of the sofa As painful as the ride here ith her sister, seeing her eyes light up like that made it all hile

"Hey," she says, her voice raw, like she’s been sleeping Good, I hope she’s been sleeping

"Not cool," I say, pushing closer until I’ a flare-up for attention"

I’ Her Mom, however, does not

"Tyson, Cass is not well," she says in the most serious voice I a," Cass says over her shoulder, turning back to me to roll her eyes and shake her head She leans forward and places a hand on either side ofher lips to ht

"Well, that’s not a very funny joke," Cass’sfor an excuse to leave the room She doesn’t like me, but I don’t want that to be my fault, so I move to meet her before she can leave the roo it’s thing "I didn’t e off, that’s all Thank you for havingshe’ll take it She finally does, though her grip is weak and tihters’--either of the me down a hall to the back of the house I look overquietly at ives me a wink