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"I appreciate it, but there are some people here I just want to deal with andup at hih he has to look down to see into aze locks ain He looks like he wants to argue with me, like he has more to say, and we stare at each other for what feels like h I’h forup to lift my chin, and the moment I do that, I shake ," I say, waiting as he holds a few fingers up for a polite wave He turns and walks down the front steps back to his car I close the door when he opens his, not wanting him to see me watch hi to his engine start and fade instead

The war near him evaporates as soon as I turn around and face the dark eirls are back, but the ones who are--they hatetheet tothat can keep everyone out My bed is packed up, the blankets and pillows all stacked in the center The clothes I left behind in the drawers and closet are all piled in a basket at the foot of the bed And the one, most of it cracked and spilled in the e of my vanity I’m not surprised, but this act--it’s still a slap in my face

There’s a note in the ives it power I walk past it and sit at the edge ofwhat else they’ve done that I’s by the door I hear sole, and I hear a door close The Delta House is old--historic And the hardware sounds as such I used to hate the noises--the creaking and the pops But I adore the, I walk to lass

We gave you a head start

I cru with my cosmetics I turn back to the bed and slide the pile of pillows and blankets to the floor, pulling one comforter out of the pile to sleep on, and another to sleep under I bundle my hair in a bun and slip into a pair of sweatpants and ave it toto work out in over the break, and I kept it It’s nothing like I noro on the front and her number on the back There’s a hole at the bottoh it to stretch the shirt out so I can take lance, I look like Cass in this

With one s closer toto hear theth I slip my phone from my purse, and set the alarm Then, I shoot one last text to Houston:

Make it 7

I keep the phone clutched init’s froh to read his response:

OK

It’s short, and there’s no pretense to it It’s what I want But yet, I’e, that he isn’t asking ed h silently to ht

Seven hours

I can handle one night

I let entle hum of the heater It lulls et whymy phone so hard And then I hear the creak down the hall and I reht But not a minute e was already packed and waiting for irl She’s been yawning s into my car and then out of my car, upstairs, and to her new room

"Why don’t you rest for a while? I’ Leah to the park You can get settled in your rooe flops on her new bed, bouncing on it a few ti the softness I can tell she’s disappointed, but she’s biting her lip, looking off to the side, like she’s searching for a way to show she’s grateful