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She said nothing else

“And?” I prompted her after a moment of silence

“And I don’t really want to,” she admitted, much to my surprise

Not that she didn’t want to talk

I was surprised she admitted it

“I know, but you don’t have a choice” I walked over to her and stopped in front of her I leaned down and restedit so that our eyes were level “Holley, I let you do that once before, and it costthat could have been cleared up in thirty seconds”

She looked atindiscernible in her eyes

“I don’t want to do that again,” I said softly “Eight years is a long ti at all It feels like we’ve talked every day And I can’t just let you ignore so just because it scares you”

“Who says I’m scared?”

“Your endless refusal to talk, your biting coned to push me away, and your little sassy ”

“You’re so weird”

“Bit rich co from you, but I’ll talk it” I ss for you, Holley I just don’t knohat they are I don’t know if they’re left over froic bullshit that’s a waste of both our ti real”

She sed

“And I know you feel sole time I try to talk about it”

“A wall is a bit of an overstatement”

“See? Most people would deny that if it weren’t true, but you just deflect”

“I don’t knohat you want me to admit to you Seb, the last tiuess…” She sighed and looked away

“You guess what?”

Reluctantly, sheyou back in e this—” She ain”

“Holley, I swear No matter what, we’ll always be—” I was cut off by the bell over the door With a sigh, I stepped back and looked over my shoulder

“Mrs Holland!” Holley jumped up and smoothed out her sweater “What can I do for you today?”