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Walking into the kitchen Ben's sitting at the breakfast nook with a plate of food piled in front of hi a paper but I see him look over atShe looks up ata cup

"Good Morning Miss Victoria!" she says brightly

"Goodmy childhood nickname for her

She bea you here!"

"Yes I did, very well I've missed you too!"

She co features Her hair is starting to show ray than black and new lines have formed on her face since I last saw her

She returns to fixing a plate for me so I slide into the breakfast nook opposite of Ben He intently ignores me

"Mo

rning Ben," I say

"Morning," he says without looking over his paper

"When did you get in?"

"Late"

I nod and look around uncoain Conversation isn't supposed to be this hard Surely we can find so in common to talk about

"Congratulations on setting that speed record," I say

He pauses part way through turning the page of his paper but doesn't look up fro," he says

"You set a world record, see deal"

He sets the paper aside Our eyes ray eyes of his, so intense, so knowing He purses his lips, I see his finger starting to draw that sa

"You see well in school," he says at last

So for but that wasn't it As ure out what it is I want from him I realize, I don't really knohat I want I want it to be like it was but that's not possible We can't go back in tiulf between us I can't look at hi doubt He left They all leave

"Yeah," I say "It's been good I like it a lot"