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"I want to help out,that I can get? I could go later today," I say

Her s before she finally does "Get whatever you would like We’re fine e have," she says, turning froet the sense those words are talking about ht, well thank you, again," I say, s when I hear Leah skipping down the stairs, so I pause at the back door to oodbye to her for the day Before I fully turn, I feel her arms around me, her face nuzzled into ood day," she says

"Oh…thank you You too," I say, a little stunned by her affection I glance back up at Joyce--her worried smile still the same I understand it a little more

Leah

This isn’t about me and Houston--her concern is aboutany of the nonverbal conversations Joyce and I just had Houston’s mother is warm and wonderful Much of her re, and she’s very ether I respect that She and I are more similar than she knoe’re both protectors Which means as welcome as sheexactly as I found it And o, I would have

Before I let him in that little bit more

Before he believed ets when he cood, soirls, the kinds who have crushes! I’ve been hot for guys I’ve chased guys, flirted, won them over,boys obey But Houston is like…he’s like an invasion! I like him more than I’m ready to adht is in there now I adirlfriend left to talk to, she probably wouldn’t be able to shutshunned--no witnesses for my descent into happily-ever-afters and fairytales

My lab class is biology, and the lecture room is very clinical Clinical--yes, I need the white board, the sterilein that room looks like hearts and flowers If only the lecture proh to distract me I’ve only been to a few this se I already learned in high school Itfor, and why I can’t justroute to class whenever I can, just so I can pass the architecture and design building I love watching the students in the design lab ith colors and textiles As I pass by today, they’re working withlook even n shop--just like the ones on the same street as my mom’s bead store in Burbank I’ve already been promised internships there for the su the su here--in Oklahoma? That’s never even been a consideration for ht It’s Houston’s fault I will forever keep it to o home, stick to the plan, so no harain

Butterflies

Fairytales

Motherfuck!

As I step into the lecture room, my pocket vibrates with lad to have so here, of a more permanent here Of…here…with Houston

Leah, Leah, Leah I repeat her na roundstime reality

"Me and Roant pizza Lunch Ditch the class," Cass says the second I answer I look up at the clock, and it’s not quite yet ten My lab goes until one--it was either this class or a night one, and I hate the idea of school ruiningOf course, when Iat parties on Friday nights or out with the girls

Plans change

So around school and studies, and less on social things

"It’s still breakfast ti to an aisle seat near the middle I’ve learned the routine--about a half an hour of lecture then we move to the lab for the day’s project The stupid sterile, h the rows Aisle seats are the only way to go