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Stella nods “I guess that makes sense”

“Well…” I pause and glance overthat o”

My mom pouts “I hate this”

“It’s going to be okay,” I reassure her and give her another hug “I’ll see you in aplans and Sal to keep you busy”

She smiles softly at that “That’s true, but I wish you could be here to help me”

“I’m pretty sure between you and Sal and all your Sunny Creek friends, you’ll have a blast planning your big day,” I comment, and she wipes away a lone tear that slips down her cheek “Aw, don’t be sad, Mom You have every reason to be excited”

She sniffles a little “You’ll FaceTiht?”

“Promise,” I answer “I’ll even try to join your TikTok Lives when I’m not busy at the shop”

“Really?” she asks, her face brightening with excitement

“I swear”

“I’ you to that, Car”

“Do,” I say, and the exchange reminds me so much of previous conversations I’ve had with Ryan that it makes my chest ache in discomfort

I can’t stopacross the lawn to his dad’s house

I know he’s already gone His flight was earlier than mine

And I know all day yesterday he tried to talk toup a million excuses not to be able to meet up and talk in private

It was pathetic And I hate myself for it

But I’ve never felt this way about anyone, and it’s like I don’t kno to cope

Our situation is insane—the distance and our parents getting freaking married Our lives are in co our feelings for each other, we never truly established that ere in a relationship or that anted to try to -distance work

Everything is just hanging out in fucking limbo

It sucks

“Did you get to say goodbye to Ryan before he left?”my attention back to her

I shake ht was pretty early”

“That’s a shame” She searches er she looks at me, the more I start to feel like maybe she knows a lot more than she’s let on

“Yeah,” I ain when the taxi driver honks his horn at o if I want to make it to the airport on time Love you, Mom”

“Love you too, sweetie,” she says and kisses my forehead “Call me when you land, okay?”