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"Here you go,I drain it in one large gulp "You did great out there!"

"I’ with her pretty eyes--heavily lined with sht--to convince er’s face scrunches up "Ignore her She’s just giving you the gears She’s a bitch and she doesn’t like new co that helps a bit Ginger’s always doing and saying things to try and make me feel better I wonder if that means she’s a real friend I don’t really know I’ve only ever had superficial friends and casual acquaintances The ones where people talked to me because I’m pretty and rich I’ve never had a best friend before, one I could truly talk to about anything Sauess it all worked out for the best, as there was no one to ivein, she strikes Nate in his rib cage "Where’s boss man?"

"Out"

She rolls her eyes "For"

"For the night"

"Thanks for elaborating, Nate" With an exasperated sigh, she offers et an answer tomorrow and I’m sure it will be a positive one" With a wink, she adds, "You’ll be working the bar witha heavy,her in, Ginger?"

She looks at him warily "Yeah Why?"

A curious smile passes over his face "How do you two know each other?"

He buckles when Ginger’s fist rams into his side "We’re friends, Ben," she snarls as she stalks back toward the bar Ben’shis brief appreciation of her ass, quite visible in a tight red dress

Turning that broad smile back to peer down at me, his arm still around uy is piece of work He doesn’t hide the fact that he’s a player, but that easygoing boyish charm of his somehow makes it kind of cute And dimples Deep dimples that pull a teht in the world I wonder if he’s always this flirtatious

I’ department As abnormal as my life is, e high school girl Except where other high school girls were busy crying over unanswered texts and catfighting with empty threats, I just e in any regard

Given my naturally reserved demeanor and hoas raised, I’m usually the one to listen rather than speak I’ve never pursued a guy I had a couple of boyfriends in high school We went out in groups a lot The tiuy, there wasn’t eneral

I lost h school play--duringwhen it happened, but we had known each other for h school seemed to like me Ryan said it was because I was "h school hated ot from boys And because I was marked a "snob" on account of uy that I felt anything for He eet and understanding Very well-uer We had been dating for two months when he askedout in -distance relationship work the following year

Ryan never cah He didn’t answer his phone or my texts to him, either When I called his house, hishi that she thought we had broken up

I sat on that spiral staircase of our foyer for hours, my shoulders hunched, my mind confused, my heart in dejected pieces

When Sa away--certainly no worry, no sy a seat next toand I shouldn’t be tyingup at hiray eyes on me as he said, in an even tone, that he wasn’t pleased with the idea ofserious with anyone That he kept his end of the deal by givingme alone in this world

I’ve always had a visceral need to please Sarapevine that Ryan did end up at his pro with my childhood nemesis, Becky Taylor When I saw him in the hallway on Monday, he walked past me as if he didn’t even know id, his pace was quick, and his face was a shade of pale I wasn’t used to seeing on hiht of ht back then--that Sae twist in Ryan’s behavior--but I quickly dismissed it I mean, Sah, I can’t help but wonder if Sam was the reason I sat on those steps in a violet dress until ht, et over Ryan, but I did, and there were other boys All short-lived, all fuuys that I dumped the second I felt any hint of emotion And after what happened with Sal, I haven’t had ling e boy can’t, and then so voice pulls Ben’s attention away from my face with a s his arm off me But he shoots a wink at me immediately after Nate doesn’t see in his earpiece So funny, apparently, because a broad ser! Your ‘client’ is here"

I look back in tier’s face tith displeasure She sla down onto the counter as she co past Ben, who’s doubled over with laughter, she points her fingers at the two amused bouncers and says, "You just re back a cold Heineken later tonight" With a pause and a wink, she adds, "Maybe next tihter off cold "Oh, no," he says, shaking his head fervently "I only play for one tea of his are not allowed to join in rin and a slap over Ben’s shoulder before his tone once again turns serious "You better follow her back there for this"

Casting a lazy salute in rabs her brown-haired dancer friend by the elbow and heads toward the VIP rooms