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Marital status? None

Relationship status? My pen hesitated over that one If I put Single, would they worry that strange ht? Ha I would never be so lucky If I put that I was in a relationship, would they want inary boyfriend’s infor in the place? I wrote Single in clear, dignified letters, hopingwould win them over

Occupation? I tapped laanizer? Po title of Administrative Assistant

I read over the application a final tih

13 The Italian Stallion

Ca sex Ridiculously loud sex I sat on the couch, one thin door away frorunts, screams and a repetitive knock of her bedframe, and tried to watch Pretty Little Liars on DVR Chewed really loudly on popcorn in an attempt to drown out the sounds

Cammie, apparently, was a shrieker How I hadn’t discovered that in four years of BFF bliss, I didn’t know And Dante waswhen I described it, but was oh- throughthem out

I rolled over on the couch and added a pillow to the lanced at the wall clock, impressed Irritated, mind you, but impressed The bedpost hit the wall, followed by a wail that lasted so long our neighbor pounded on the walls and screa the lines of shut the hell up I sh toraduated froh infores in as, strict instructions left to "keep Chanel entertained" Whatever that -friendly activities Maybe we could hit a dog park Make ho biscuits? I watched the second handideas

Vic and I had wanted a dog We were going to get a Goldendoodle I thought of the last time I saw him, when he’d used his key and let hi into ies and tender touches and kisses I had rolled over into his ar between us was okay And it had been--in the hours before I tearfully kicked hi sharp and fresh and wondered, with Adele crooning in o away I wondered how much of my pain was heartbreak and howended, and I realized that Cammie’s shrieks had stopped I pulled the earphones off and waited a beat The bathroothehts of Vic aside My interview for the apartment was in one week I prayed, for the sake of my innocent ears, that it went perfectly

14 Pop Quiz

Being late to an intervieas never good I knew that, which is why I walked into the tiny office, stuck on the ground floor of , three , ancient New Yorkers, were already there, stuffed behind a little desk The wo lance at my oatch Still three minutes early

"Nice of you to join us," the woman said dryly "I take it you are…" she peered at a clipboard in her hand, "Chloe Madison?"

"Yes" I stepped fully into the office and extendedit When I offered my hand to the woman, she simply sniffed