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I don’t knohat, or who, I want

I a confusion

At this point, I honestly don’t know if I want one forever

As I look around the table, at the laughing and friendly faces of ood right now I ht not knohat I want, but I’e

At all

And I know that

Chapter Fourteen

My bedroom has a private balcony I think all of the bedrooht, alone, under the dark sky filled with twinkling stars The night air is cool and it brushes over ers

And I’ic and poetic

I don’t knohy

There is a book lying open in ood to lose ht, someone else’s fictional drama Because my own drama is too real and raw

There is a knock on ht And before I can call out, the door opens and Reece is there She’s wearing paja a small box

“I brought you so,” she announces as she crosses my rooood for anything that ails you You bought them for me when I was here this summer”

She thrusts the box into my hands and I peer inside

Tiny chocolate volcanoes sit amidst tissue

I raise an eyebrow

“Chocolate therapy?”

“Is there a better kind?” she tosses back

“Excellent point,” I answer I pop one into osh Yummo”

Reece looks satisfied “Right? I braved the scary gypsy lady for you That’s how much I love you”

“Scary gypsy lady?” This intrigues hs

“The wo,” she tells ot these cloudy eyes that see right through a person And she always s about people, as if she can see our future Last tih to handle anything It was like she kneas going on in my life It was creepy”

“Were you?” I ask “Strong enough?”

Reece looks at irl-next-door way She finally nods

“Yes I was And I a I learned while I was here Everyone is strong enough Soh too”

“You’re very profound, you know that?” I nudge her jokingly But honestly, I’ood advice so far

I look at her “So, I guess e, then”

She laughs “I don’t know about that But you’ve never steered ood for each other”

I offer her a chocolate

“Thank you for beingwith ood of a friend you actually are”

Reece looks at roo heads

“Seriously? That’s what friends do You would do the same for me”

I honestly hope that is true, that I’h person for that

We lean back onto our chairs and stare at the stars Reece wraps her sweaterfrom her pocket

“I alot,” she tells me She hands it to me

A picture in a silver frame

It’s Dante, Gavin andin front of the sea Sunshine bathes our bare shoulders and we’re wearing swireen stripes in , peacock-like coood ti It’s a candid shot, not posed Gavin’s eyes are twinkling and he’s bending towardat us

And I wish I could remember the joke

But I don’t

Reece watches me and I feel my lips curve into a smile, simply from the happy expression on my face in the picture

It makes me feel warm inside

“Dante had this, so I had a copy made for you and framed It was from a beach party this past summer I love it In fact, I love it so much that I had a copy made for me, too”

“Thank you,” I tell her sincerely “Very much It’s like you’ve handed lih this picture I love it”

Tears well up in my eyes and I don’t knohy I wipe at them impatiently

Reece looks at me sympathetically

“It’s okay to be upset,” she tellsit so much better than most people would Cut yourself some slack, Mi”

And her words make me cry