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"Very"

We sat cross-legged, side by side, atop Evening Hill I handed hiurt? What happened to the houred this would be easier to eat on a picnic No dirty dishes"

"You realize this doesn’t count as a ht?" He bit into his apple

"Why not?" I replied, wondering if I should be offended

"Because it’s a snack I’ll be hungry five minutes after I eat this But there’s this place I want to take you The food is awesoht now Around dinner time, preferably Do you have plans?"

I looked away froue felt tied in a knot and ive to turn hiht?"

"It’s not that"

"Well, then, why don’t you want to go?"

Because I like being with you tooto lead to a broken heart Mine, specifically "I don’t want to date you," I said "But don’t getout with and all Only, I don’t want a boyfriend or anything Just a friend"

He studied irls Family rule"

He stood before I had a chance to ask hiathering up our lunch trash froround I took a bite of my apple and followed him down the hill, past the car, and over to the base of the ht, blew the hair away fro ht here"

Bridger s from the base of the mountain all the way to the road Gnarled tree roots jutted out of the side of the gash, dangling down into the darkness I wanted a better look, so I took a step closer, but he grabbed round has caved in there, falling into the ancient mine shaft This whole area is riddled with them" He bent and picked up a small rock, then threw it into the black shaft I strained to hear it land and looked at hier to his lips Then, unexpectedly, a hollow thud echoed up out of the sunken earth

"That is so deep," I whispered "What would happen if I fell in?"

"Best-case scenario, if you weren’t lucky enough to grab hold of one of those tree roots, you’d crash to the bottoer a rockslide and we’d both fall in, be buried under a ton of earth, and search and rescue would have to come and try to save us We’d probably still die, but slowly and painfully So be careful" He tugged me a pace farther away from the mine shaft "The wholeinto the mine If this wasn’t private property, I have no doubt so shafts Co the dirt road, the ht and the open valley to our left We hadn’t taken a hundred steps when Bridger took ly trees Before I saw the gaping hole, the cool air toucheddown into blackness We stopped a good five feet fro in my head while I waited for it to land I counted to six before the hollow thud reached my ears

"That’saup an entire handful of rocks, I chucked the like the thud of fat raindrops landing in er’s reaction He was staring atto saveto be turned down? I’ rejected when I ask soo as friends," he said, stepping so close I could sht into my eyes

"Um, well," I stammered He took bird’s frantic wings

"I can see your answer in your eyes" He dropped one of my hands and we strolled back out to the road "Do you want to go ho the griarden in "I need to shower and put on sootten me to consent

17

Later that afternoon, I clier’s SUV and ray dress pants, a pale blue button-up shirt, and glossy black shoes I had on torn jeans, a purple cotton tank top, and Jenny Sue’s worn running shoes My damp hair was loose around my shoulders, and I had put on makeup after I’d showered, yet I felt put to shame beside him A dandelion compared to a rose

"Do you er asked as we pulled away from Mrs Carpenter’s house

"Whatever" I rolled down myand stuck h town and started up the road to the abandoned mine "You live up here?" I asked