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I walked to the back door with my arms wrapped around my middle The door squeaked as I pushed it open I drew in a deep breath

“Hey, Max?” I said

“Yeah?” he said, turning to face me

“Is there any chance you could help“She passed out on the kitchen floor”

He glanced over at this house for a quickback to ainst my bare skin

“Um, yeah, sure,” he said

It seeet back home “I can just let her sleep on the floor Spread a blanket over her”

“It’s not a proble”

“Oh, right,” I said “How old is she again?”

“Only nine,” he replied as he grabbed the back door and held it, waiting for me to step inside “She’ll be okay”

I flashed him a thin-lipped smile “We’ll be quick”

He nodded It was only a few steps to Olivia’s snoring body

“Geez,” Max said, covering his ears

I chuckled “I know, right? And you thought the music was loud”

“The music was loud,” Max said

“She kept turning it up,” I said “In her state, nothing is loud enough”

Max bent down and scooped her up I hadn’t realized how ht, and the tendons and veins bulged in his forearms

“Which way?” Max asked

“Upstairs,” I said, gesturing toward the living room

“Lead the way,” Max said

I walked quickly to the roo in It didn’t see Olivia

“Here,” I said, pushing open the door to the purple roouest roouests

The walls were painted in a pale purple, and the wood tris on the wall, each one with purple flowers inside the white frame

Max lowered Olivia down on the bed and pulled the bedspread over her He followedthe door open a crack just as I ihter

“Well,” Max said, stopping at the door “You should probably check in on her from time to time”

“Even if I hear her loud and clear?” I asked